/IONS PATHWAY 



OB 



SOME OF THE DOCTRINES, DUTIES AND DANGERS 
OF THE CHRISTIAN PILGRIM DELINEATED. 



In the way of rizhteou-ness is life ; and in the pathway thereof there is 
no d*ath Prorata, 12 : 28. 




BY REV. TIMOTHY ALDEN TAYLOR, A. It 



BOSTON: 

PE B K I N 8 ,v AY II IPPLE, 
J 50. 



5 



4 



Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1850, 

BY TIMOTHY A. TAYLOR, 

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts. 



OLD DICKINSON OFFICE, C. C. P. MOODY, PRINTER, 

W WASHINGTON 8TRMT, BOSTON. 



LC Control Number 



tm P 96 027374 



Dedication, 



TO 

REV OLIVER A. TAYLOR, 

■n i u>n i mmm in.i. 

TO 

REV. RUFUS TAYLOR, 

ii i^ AM04 IV 1 1 BBOVHBI \ 

AND TO 

REV. JEREMIAH TAYLOR, 

HIS Y<>i m.i >i BROTHJU j 

THIS VOLUME 13 AFFFX'TIONATKLY INSCRIBED, 
BT 

THE AUTHOR 



NOTICE. 



Some portions of this volume were published in a 
religious periodical more than ten years ago ; and at 
least one half of it has, in various forms, already been 
issued, embracing the greater part of two small books, 
by the author. 

A few inaccuracies have escaped timely notice. For 
instance, on page 52, near the bottom, the teru 
and latter must be transposed in order to give the 
meaning intended; on page 141, line 5 from the top, 
" he hath" should read, we have ; u mor<'" on page 410, 
line 2d from the top, ought to be // 



CON T ]•: N T S 



PAOZ 

IHBSI is A GOD. 13 

Preliminary | Qfl 18 

Proof from Human Existence 1 5 

! from the Complexity of Soman Existence 16 

Proof from other I - on the Berth 18 

Pro t* from the Berth itself 20 

Proof from tin- B m 18 

Proof from tin.- Universe 24 

constantly elicited by Science 25 

Proof erery where 25 

THE S.TTRIBTJTE8 OF GOD. 26 

Finite Creatures can know nothing, a priori, respecting the Infinite 

tor 26 

Classification of these Attributes 28 

Till "\ I .M-.SS OF GOD. 29 

What i> th< respecting the Divine Unity ! •• •• 30 

ibnte 32 

Tin: BOYEBKIGH1 1 01 «;OD. 

Tin: EMMUTABILITT of god. 4o 

Tho Term Dcfincl 40 

Scripture Testimony 11 

This Attribute enters into our Ideas of God 42 

An < Objection considered 18 

ndsAttril s of Joy M 

ful Attribute, for the Wieked 47 

1* 



D CONTENTS. 

THE OMNISCIENCE OF GOD. 49 

THE OMNIPRESENCE OF GOD. 50 

A Mistake corrected • 51 

God intended we should see Him every where 54 

GOD IS LOVE. 59 

The fact viewed with reference to the Past 60 

With reference to the Present 62 

With reference to the Future 62 

The relation of this Truth to Evangelical Doctrines 64 

The Use made of it by Errorists 65 

This Divine Attribute harmonizes with the others. 66 

WORSHIP GOD. 67 

ATHEISM. 69 

Theories of Atheists 70 

The Object of Atheists 71 

JESUS CHRIST. 73 

Christ was a Man 73 

Christ was more than a Man 74 

Christ was truly God 75 

The Scriptures call Christ God 76 

The Scriptures ascribe Eternal Existence to Christ 76 

Almighty Power is attributed to Christ 77 

Christ is represented as Omniscient 77 

The Scriptures teach us that Christ is Omnipresent 78 

Divine Honors are given to Christ 78 

Christ's temptation. 79 

Christ's transfiguration. 85 

the agony in gethsemane. 91 

Place and Time 91 

The Cause of this Agony 93 



CONTENTS. / 

WHY WAS CHRIST CRUCIFIED? 97 

It was not for any Crime actually committed by Him « • • 97 

He could have saved Himself 98 

He died to redeem Man 98 

He satisfied Justice 100 

He paid our Debt 100 

Sometimes it is said that our Sins were imputed to Christ 101 

Heaven is open to all Men 101 

THE CRUCIFIXION SCENE. 104 

THE MEDIATORSHIP OF CHRIST. Ill 

Its relation to Individuals Ill 

Its Kingly Character 113 

Its Termination 119 

THE FIRST RESURRECTION. 126 

BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD. 131 

THE HOLY SPIRIT. 134 

The Personality of the Spirit • 134 

The Operations of the Spirit 138 

The Argument summed up 140 

The Doctrine of the Trinity comprehensively expressed 141 

General Observations on the Trinity 142 

THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD. 144 

The Devil is not the Author of the Bible 144 

Wicked Men did not produce the Bible 144 

Good men did not originate the Bible 146 

Holy Angels are not the Authors of the Bible 147 

The Bible appears to be the Word of God 148 

The Bible claims to be the Word of God 148 

The Bible is proved to be the Word of God 149 

HINTS IN REGARD TO REVELATION. 150 

Science and Revelation 150 

Doubting Revelation is irrational • • • 1 52 






8 CONTENTS. 

Right Moral Affections requisite for a Reception of Revelation- • • • 153 

Speculation on Revelation is Dangerous 1 54 

Examples • 154 

INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES. 157 

Definition of the Term 157 

The Promise of Christ 158 

The Fulfilment of the Promise 162 

Evidence of Inspiration from Particular Passages 163 

The Old Testament 165 

Objections considered 166 

TWO ARGUMENTS FOR SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES. 170 

First Argument 170 

Second Argument 171 

MANNER OF SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES. 180 

The Temper of Mind 180 

The Province of Reason 181 

A Prayerful Frame of Mind is requisite 183 

Closing Appeals 1 84 

ANCIENT SAINTS AND A FUTURE STATE. 186 

A Concluding Remark 198 

INFIDELS. lg6 

They are Corrupt 19 g 

They have done abominable Works 203 

In furtherance of their direful purposes, Infidels have, to the utmost 

of their ability, corrupted the Literature of the World 204 

Again ; the Facts of Christianity are grossly perverted by Infidels- 205 

There is none that doeth good 208 

Infidelity cannot harm the Church 211 

Infidelity predicted 21 1 

The Infidel's Recompense 212 

Baptized Infidelity 213 

Infidel's boast of Reason, vain 214 

The New Phases 215 



CONTENTS. » 

DEATH OF INFIDELS. 216 

Saurin's Description 217 

Death of Voltaire 218 

Death of Hume 219 

Death of Hobbes and Gibbons 220 

Death of Tindal and Altamont 220 

Death of Thomas Paine 221 

Deaths in an Infidel Party 221 

The Remedy for Infidelity 222 

THE SABBATH. 223 

The Patriarchs and the Sabbath 1- • 224 

No Manna on the Sabbath 226 

The Law from Sinai 228 

Objections considered 229 

A summary of Arguments for the Sabbath 232 

CHRIST AND THE SABBATH. 234 

The Miracles performed on the Sabbath 234 

His Disciples and the Cornfield 239 

Change of the Day 243 

Is Paul at variance with Christ ? 246 

MAN'S NEED OF THE SABBATH ILLUSTRATED. 249 

Who break the Sabbath % 255 

An Inference 260 

But one Sabbath in a week 262 

HYMN. 263 

THE SANCTUARY. 263 

Order of Public Worship 266 

Posture in Prayer 268 

HEARING THE GOSPEL. 270 

Hear attentively 270 

Hear without Prejudice 273 

Hear to receive the greatest Profit 274 

Hear with Gratitude 276 



10 CONTENTS. 

Hear with the Last Judgment in view 276 

The Sabbath School 278 

THE MINISTRY. 281 

The title Bishop 283 

Thb Pastor — His first duty 284 

The Example of Paul 286 

A Second Specification in regard to the Pastor's Duty 296 

Some Dangers attendant on the Pastoral office specified 298 

The Support of Pastors 303 

A Mournful Fact 306 

A single Instance 309 

REVIVALS OF RELIGION. 310 

The Importance of Revivals 31o 

The Source of Revivals 316 

Christ's last command. 322 

christian benevolence. 328 

Some of its Characteristics 328 

The Reward of this Benevolence 331 

Ways for the Exercise of this Benevolence 334 

This Benevolence too little exercised 335 

SILVER AND GOLD ARE THE LORD'S. 336 

MAN CONSIDERED MORALLY; OR DEPRAVITY. 341 

THE NEW BIRTH ESSENTIAL TO THE ATTAINMENT 

OF HEAVEN. 352 

What is to be understood by the New Birth ? 352 

The Ground of the Necessity of the New Birth 355 

Two Specifications 356 

GOD THE AUTHOR OF THE NEW BIRTH. 362 

The Position Illustrated 362 

The Mode of Renewal 367 

Why does God renew Persons ? 373 



CONTENTS. 



11 



THE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION. 376 

What it is not- 376 

What it is 379 

The Doctrine established by the Scriptures 382 

Election is Personal 384 

A word to Opposers 386 

Certain Objections 389 

HUMAN AND DIVINE AGENCIES ARE COOPERATIVE. 390 
Deductions 397 

WHAT THE SINNER MUST DO TO BE SAVED. 400 

REPENTANCE. 405 

True and False discriminated 406 

Examples of True Eepentance 408 

Examples of the False 410 

THE FORGIVEN SINNER. 414 

THE UNPARDONABLE SIN. 421 

SANCTIFICATION. 428 

The great Agent in it 431 

Means necessary 432 

Evidence of Sanctification 4 433 

THE CHRISTIAN'S HOPE. 435 

GRIEVING THE SPIRIT. 443 

Ways in which the Spirit may be grieved 444 

Consequences of grieving the Spirit 447 



PRAYER. 



450 



Prayer as a Duty 452 

Necessary Qualifications 452 

Motives to Pray 453 

An Objection 459 



12 CONTENTS. 

CHRISTIAN SUBMISSION. 460 

Its Nature explained 460 

The Duty of thus submitting 463 

HEAVEN. 466 

HELL. 473 

THE GENERAL RESURRECTION. 479 

The Resurrection viewed in the Light of Reason 482 

Attributes of the Raised Body 485 

The Time of the Resurrection 487 

Particular Objections noticed 488 

THE FINAL JUDGMENT. 490 

The Design of the Judgment 492 

The Doctrine highly practical 493 

A Caution 498 

Disappointment at the Last Day 498 

Christ is Judge 499 



ZION'S PATHWAY 



THERE IS A GOD. 

Preliminary Suggestions. 

There either is or there is not a God. One exists or does 
not exist. Either that proposition which asserts his existence 
is true, or the one which denies it is true. "What is now true, 
in respect to that existence or non-existence, ever has been 
and ever will be true. No change of circumstances, or lapse 
of time, can make that false which is true in the abstract, 
nor that true which is false in the abstract. Belief or un- 
belief has no influence to change the nature of truth. One 
may firmly believe in the existence of a supreme Being, 
and another may not believe that such a Being exists ; yet 
neither the belief of the one nor the denial of the other has 
any effect upon the fact of the divine existence or non- 
existence. 

If every intelligent creature in the universe should renounce 

the idea that there is a God, or should all with united voice 

proclaim it, the renunciation or the proclamation could no 

more affect the absolute truth in the case, than would the add- 

2 



14 zion's pathway. 

ing of an ultimate molecule of matter affect the sensible weight 
of the material universe, or the millionth part of a drop of 
water perceptibly increase the depth of the ocean. 

It is the part of wisdom, then, to approach the question, Is 
there a God ? with candor, and carefully to consider the evi- 
dence which is above us, around us, beneath us, and within us ; 
since, if there be a God, evidence of his existence must appear 
somewhere, if it do not everywhere. If there be a God, it 
is important that we should be aware of the fact ; and if there 
be none, we ought to know the fact. The question proposed 
cannot be one that may be turned aside with indifference by 
any rational being. It takes hold upon the very existence of 
every intelligent creature. With the answer, are connected 
the dearest hopes, or the most distressing fears, of all men. 
The only alternative for man, is eternal existence or eternal 
oblivion ; and which is his destiny, can never be for certainty 
determined, till it is known whether or not there be a God. * 
Indifference, here, is irrational — is brutish. If there be a 
God, one touch of his finger, one glance of his eye, may drive 
us into outer darkness and into endless despair. 



* On the supposition that there is no God, it does not follow of course 
that human heings will not exist after their present life ceases. Why should 
the atheist believe that death will terminate his being ? If Chance now 
control the affairs of this world, it will doubtless do the same for the future ; 
and if it first gave the atheist life, it may perpetuate that life in another 
state of existence, without permitting, for a moment, the cessation of con- 
sciousness. Or, admitting that the entire being dies when the body becomes 
lifeless, no one can prove that Chance will not raise the dead. If, by such 
an agency, the atheist is sent into the world, and then is sent out of the 
world, he may, for ought he can show, be returned again, after the lapse of 
ages. Yea, there may be eternal alternations of the giving and taking 
away of life. Does Chance rule? then is man's condition subject to the 
mere freaks of the most terrible tyranny. Without the least shadow of a 
reason, he has been ushered upon this theatre of action ; without reason, he 
is to be driven back whence he came, and perhaps again to be recalled. 
Chance may torment him forever. 



THERE IS A GOD. 15 



Proof from Human Existence. 

The fact of my existence is a phenomenon in nature for 
which there must be a cause, and a cause sufficient to produce 
the result. It is an obvious dictate of common sense, that 
every effect must have an adequate cause. Now that I did 
not create myself, is certain ; nor is the question of my origin 
divested of difficulty, by saying that I am descended from pro- 
genitors ; their existence is to be accounted for. That they 
had parents, does not remove the objection. Go back in a 
direct line for a thousand generations, and all you have done 
is to go back ; run through another thousand generations, and 
then you have to account for the existence of the first pair ; 
go back as far as you please, still the same phenomenon of 
human existence is to be accounted for. None will maintain 
that the human family has been eternally in existence. Did 
it originate itself? That were impossible, for the supposition 
makes the race to exist before it existed. Did human beings 
come to possess their present natures by degrees, having been 
gradually converted into what they now are from apes,* or 
something else ? If so, we must account for the existence of 
those apes, or that something else. Nor will this be found an 
easy task. These must have brought themselves into exist- 
ence, or have been created by an agency out of themselves. 
It is absurd to ascribe their origin to themselves ; for in that 
case they are made to exist and act before they existed. 

But there is another difficulty. Species never change. The 
world does not furnish an instance of an animal, or a plant, 
abandoning its own species and assuming another. Could it, 



* There is a class of persons who seem exceedingly desirous to prove 
that the human family had an origin of this sort. When meeting with 
such arguers, we are half inclined to admit their position in its application 
to themselves. Verily they appear worthy of no better parentage. 



16 zion's pathway. 

however, be shown that species do change, and that the human 
species was once merely animal, then an adequate cause must 
be assigned for the change. To affirm that it was the result 
of chance will not answer ; common sense condemns such an 
attempt at evasion. There is an effect, and a cause must be 
assigned adequate to its production. How, then, shall the 
simple question, respecting the origin of my existence, be 
answered ? Can it ever be satisfactorily explained, without 
admitting the existence of an infinite God ? 

Proof from the Complexity of Human Existence. 

Man is riot a simple existence ; he has a compound nature, 
and sustains many complicated and peculiar relations. How 
are these to be expounded ? Why are we part matter, and 
part mind ? And whence the marvellous union of the two ? 
Surely, matter has no natural affinities for mind, nor has mind 
any for matter. In man are united two elements, which 
reciprocally influence each the other, — always, however, har- 
monizing, still permanently distinct, — operating and cooper- 
ating, but never losing their distinctive characteristics ; yet 
how one is affected by the other no human being can explain. 
On examining the material frame, and analyzing the anatomi- 
cal structure, we find in every part marks of design. The 
clearest evidence appears that a perfect plan was formed, and 
that each particular part is adapted to carry out the plan. 
To exhibit all these wonderful contrivances would require a 
complete dissection of a human body. A volume might be 
written respecting the hand, another concerning the eye. 
Nothing can surpass the beauty of form, nicety of design, 
and perfection of execution, in the organ of vision. It is a 
world of wonders, and affords unequivocal evidence of being 
the workmanship of an infinite designer. Mark its adaptation 
to the external world. By the simple admission of rays from 



THERE IS A GOD. 17 

the sun, an image is formed of an object upon the retina, and 
by that means the object itself becomes visible. Why an 
image should be formed at all, but more especially, why an 
idea of the object should be conveyed to the mind by it, the 
philosophy of all past ages has been unable to explain ; nor 
can it be accounted for, except on the admission that an infi- 
nitely wise God was its maker. 

The heart is an instrument of remarkable parts and pow- 
ers. Who can examine it, and not see unequivocal marks of 
design ? If there were design, then of course the existence 
of a designer must be admitted. It is the centre of vitality, 
in the human system. By its perpetual dilations and contrac- 
tions, the blood, conveying nutriment, is driven into every part 
of the human system. The will of man has little or no con- 
trol over its motions, which continue from the commencement 
of life till the breath leaves the body. 

Contemplate the organs of speech. Why is man the only 
being, of all that move on the earth, capable of conversing by 
articulate sounds ? Did aught but a great Designer constitute 
the difference between him and other creatures ? 

Not to enter farther into specifications, suffice it to say, 
that everywhere, in the human frame, are the most unde- 
niable tokens of adaptations of parts to constitute a whole. 
Not a mistake has been committed in the plan or in the 
execution. 

We see how man's body could not have begun to exist ; it 
did not originate itself; chance did not give it a being ; it is 
no modification of another order of agents ; whence is it ? 
The watch before me, I know, must have been the product 
of some artificer. To doubt it, would be violating the dictates 
of common sense. Shall I believe that the human frame, 
which is a million times more complicated than a watch, had 
no artificer ? I cannot ; the laws of the mind will not admit 
it. I am compelled to conclude that it had a maker and 
2* 



18 zion's pathway. 

builder, and that he could have been none but an infinite 
Being ; — the knowledge and wisdom requisite are so great, 
that we can set no limits to them. Every effect must have a 
cause adequate to produce it ; the human body is an effect, — 
hence there must be a cause, an adequate cause ; no agent 
less than that designated God can be the cause ; therefore, 
God is the cause. To be the cause, he must exist — where- 
fore, there is a God. 

As yet, I have not dwelt upon man's intellectual endow- 
ments. These are more wonderful than the arrangements of 
the body. Intellect ! Whence is it ? Can it be from any 
other source than a Being of unlimited power ? Search for 
proof of a contrary nature, — it is not to be found. Intellect 
is an effect, — every effect must have an adequate cause, and 
nothing less than an infinite Intelligence can be its cause. 
Nor can we account for our moral nature, but by attributing 
it to the same source. 

Proof from other Existences on the Earth. 

Man is but a single link in a chain of vast extent, of vast 
extremes. From him, the most noble being on earth, is a 
regular series of gradations, to the most simple of all animal 
existences. It is not, however, a series in which there is the 
least change of species from one generation to another. The 
orders remain as they were originally ranked. Thousands 
of years have produced no alterations, except in modifying 
varieties of the same species. 

Leaving the lower ranks of the animal kingdom, we enter 
by descending upon that of the vegetable. Here, too, are 
wide extremes. The cedar rears its head where the light- 
nings are at home, and the thunder drives its car ; that is one 
extreme ; in the other, we see the rush bowing before every 
breeze, and the moss mantling the wall. Through all this 



THERE IS A GOD. 19 

range perfect symmetry and system prevail. Nothing is out 
of place. If there be a plan, and one must be blind not to 
see it, then also there has been a planner, that carried out the 
plan. Who can he have been ? No finite being, certainly ; 
for one thus limited could not have formed and executed such 
a plan as we know must have been laid and is executed. The 
eye cannot turn in any direction, amid the inanimate realm 
of existences, without perceiving the most decisive marks of 
intelligent design. It is a settled fact, that the more minutely 
the works of nature are scrutinized, the more manifest do 
these marks appear. Visit the mountain oak, and ask it why 
its roots strike so deep, and why its arms extend so wide. It 
replies : the latter is to inhale the air and to catch the dew ; 
and the former is to secure me amid the storms and winds 
that would otherwise upturn me. The elephant is adapted to 
the clime which he inhabits. Lions are found only in coun- 
tries fitted to their nature. Every section of the globe has 
its own peculiar species of animals, and each animal is fur- 
nished with means of support, pleasure, and self-defence. 
Not an instance can be found, in which a creature has been 
brought into existence and left destitute in these respects. 
Each understands how to procure necessary food, and each is 
provided with some means for protecting itself. The elephant 
defies all enemies by his great strength ; the deer seeks safety 
in flight ; the asp infuses a deadly poison ; the bee is armed 
with a sting ; the Alpine marmot appoints a sentinel to watch, 
while he is in search of food, or is taking pastime on his rocky 
eminence. In constructing their habitations, animals display 
a degree of ingenuity and sagacity which can be accounted 
for only by admitting that they have been endowed with in- 
stincts by an intelligent Being, who adapted them to their 
respective conditions. Examine the houses of the heavers, 
the artificial hills of the African termites, and the hexagonal 
cells formed by the bee. 



20 zion's pathway. 

There are fixed laws running through, the vegetable king- 
dom. A limb on one side of a tree is ordinarily balanced by 
another on the other side ; and this arrangement is adapted to 
the law of gravity. The exact harmony which characterizes 
all things in the world of nature, proves that there was a pre- 
siding power, that planned and perfected the whole, and rea- 
son demands that we see here him whose name is God. 

Proof from the Earth itself 

Thus far I have dwelt upon objects which stand on the 
earth's surface ; those, obviously, began to exist since the 
formation of this globe. Whence came this material frame, 
the earth ? The ancient philosophers disputed whether or 
not matter is eternal. Modern philosophy has settled the 
question, by showing that it cannot be eternal ; yet some, 
in these days, attempt to account for the existence of our 
world by theories too absurd and ridiculous ever to have 
received the respect of a pagan philosopher, or even of a 
pagan fool. 

But suppose we admit, for the sake of argument, the eter- 
nity of matter ; none will contend that it has existed in its 
present form from eternity ; and the question is to be answer- 
ed, how came this material frame to exist in its present form ? 
Shall we discourse pompously upon the influence of gravity, 
and of the powers of motion ? There is no proof that gravity 
is an essential element of matter. " It is a property which 
we have no right to call necessary, but every reason to sup- 
pose is universal." * If, however, gravity be an essential 
property of matter, what does the fact prove respecting the 
physical world ? Did that simple law fit up this wonderful 
frame ? Has it spread out the heavens, and adorned them 

* Whewell. 



THERE IS A GOD. 21 

with beauty ? As well might we speak of common household 
articles being manufactured by the law of gravity ; of books 
being printed and bound by it ; yea, of all that is done on 
earth being performed by that alone. 

No evidence can be produced that motion is an essential 
property of matter. Were it so, the fact would not account 
at all for the existence of the earth in its present form. Mere 
motion would do nothing toward it. Let us suppose that mat- 
ter was originally endowed with the properties of gravity and 
motion ; does this supposition enable us to account for the 
earth's present appearance ? By gravity, all particles tend 
toward a common centre ; by motion, each particle would seek 
to move in some direction, but not necessarily in any particu- 
lar one ; hence, much confusion would arise, at the outset, 
among the numerous moving particles. In order to see how 
they could ever come to any agreement among themselves, as 
to the direction in which they must move, and where they 
should stop, we shall be compelled to ascribe intelligence to 
each particle. This, however, does not relieve us ; there 
must have been infinite intelligence and power presiding over 
the whole, or eternal confusion would reign among them. We 
are necessitated to attribute to matter attributes such as we 
ascribe to God, or admit the existence of a supreme Being. 

The supposition that our earth was originally a fragment 
of some exploded planet, does not remove the difficulty con- 
nected with the question, how came it to exist in its present 
form ? By what means was the exploded planet made a 
planet at all, and what caused it to explode ? What arrested 
the flying fragment, and gave it a globular shape, smoothed 
its surface, and converted it into a habitation for living crea- 
tures ? Surely, none but an infinite Agent could accomplish 
these things. 

To what conclusion does an examination of the physical 
structure of the earth lead us ? Its soil is a compound ; 



22 zion's pathway. 

every compound is made up of component parts, which once 
existed in a separate state. A compound always implies a 
compounder. Who united these ingredients ? Who could 
do it ? Certainly, no being less than a perfect God. A 
power inferior to his could not have forced together so many 
heterogeneous substances, and combined them into a harmo- 
nious whole, such as is visible even to an atheist's eyes. 

A considerable portion of the globe is water, and no theory 
can account for its formation and distribution which does not 
ascribe it to an almighty Creator. 

From what source, too, came the atmosphere, surrounding 
the earth, and extending several miles' distance from its sur- 
face ? Nature has no apparatus for producing it. Design is 
manifest, in thus enveloping this globe in such a fluid. It is 
not so connected with the earth as that the latter must be sur- 
rounded by it, for other planets may and, perhaps, do exist 
without an atmosphere. Yet it is essential to the life of ani- 
mals and the growth of vegetables; neither can long exist 
without it. The atmosphere is a special provision. Who, 
then, is the provider ? Could any being less than a God of 
unlimited ability have prepared it ? 

As in the human system, so in the structure of the planet 
on which we dwell ; each part is fitted to make up a grand 
whole. Where can we discover a deficiency ? What neces- 
sary want of man, or of other creatures, is not fully met? 
The particular laws which regulate the animal and vegetable 
kingdoms, are in strict accordance with those laws of nature 
which are designated general ; and the general laws were 
evidently appointed with special reference to those arrange- 
ments which were subsequent to their establishment, and are 
called particular. The eye of man never looked upon any 
production of art, wherein every separate part served for the 
completion of the whole, more clearly than does every part of 
this material frame serve to constitute a perfect world. If 



THERE IS A GOD. 23 

there be apparent exceptions, investigation proves them to 
be so only in appearance ; or, at most, departures from the 
original intent. Changes, in some respects, have evidently 
occurred in the physical creation. 

Proof from the Solar System. 

Suppose, now, that from the special consideration of the 
earth, we turn to a contemplation of the solar system. Here 
we at once perceive, that while the earth is complete in all its 
parts, is a perfect whole, yet itself is only one body in a sys- 
tem, of which the sun is the centre, and around which, as a 
centre, several bodies revolve. Hence, had we hitherto in 
our investigations been able to account for all the phenomena 
which have come under our notice, without admitting the ex- 
istence of an infinite Creator, we should be here met with 
insuperable difficulties in maintaining the no-God theory. It 
is utterly impossible for us to begin to explain the operations 
of the solar system by any knowledge of matter. System 
implies a systematizer ; or, to revert to first principles, every 
effect must have an adequate cause. The solar system is an 
effect, for which such cause is to be assigned. But what is 
an adequate cause for the production of this effect ? Why 
stands the sun in the centre ? Wherefore revolve the planets 
about it ? Attraction would naturally bring them all to itself, 
as a centre. It is found that the motions of the planets are 
regular, pursuing each its own path, performing each its own 
revolutions, in certain fixed periods. Is there not here mag- 
nificent design ? A mighty effect ? Where is the designer ? 
What is the cause ? Who constituted the sun the great at- 
tracting centre, and at the same time gave bounds to those 
planets, in their approaches to the sun ? Not one of these 
questions can be rationally answered, without admitting the 
existence of an infinitely wise and powerful God, who spake 






24 zion's pathway. 

and it was done ; who commanded and it stood fast. More- 
over, the solar system is itself but a small part in a great 
whole ; so small that, were it struck out of existence, its loss 
might never be noticed by the other parts of the wide-spread- 
ing universe. It is not imagination, but true science, that 
teaches the existence of myriads of individual worlds, and of 
numberless systems of worlds. 

Proof from (lie Universe. 

The universe exists, and there must be some cause of its 
existence. This cause must be in itself or out of itself; and 
that it has not existed eternally, is evident from at least two 
facts. First, it is a system fitted up ; and secondly, there 
have been discovered in it the elements of its own destruction. 
There is a resisting medium, in which, at least, all the planets 
move, and which must effectually, in the course of time, 
change their regular motions, if it be not counteracted, and 
no counteracting force has been found to exist of a similar 
nature ; and none at all, if we deny the existence of that om- 
nipotent Agency which reason beholds enthroned above all 
material existences. 

Did the universe create itself? The supposition is absurd ; 
for the implication is, that it existed and acted before it exist- 
ed. But if it now exist, and has not always existed, and did 
not bring itself into existence, it must have originated in an 
efficiency out of itself, and that, by whatever name called, 
must be intelligent and infinite. We call it God ; and we 
can no more doubt his existence than we can doubt the exist- 
ence of the objects which we behold. We must cease to ex- 
ercise reason, before we can doubt the existence of such a 
Being. It is contrary to all the sane operations of a rational 
mind, to deny the existence of an all-wise and all-powerful 
God. He who does deny it, contradicts the teachings of his 



THERE IS A GOD. 25 

own common sense, and wars with the principles of action 
which govern him in his daily transactions in the affairs of 
time. 

New proofs constantly elicited by Science. 

It may be here observed, that the developments of science 
are continually exhibiting, more and more, the evidences of 
this great central truth, — There is a God. Admitting the 
asserted facts of Geology to be real facts ; that science has 
brought out new proofs of design in the formation and struc- 
ture of the earth. Not less than three or four new creations 
and extinctions of animals and vegetables have taken place 
on the surface of our globe, for the express purpose of pro- 
gressively preparing it for its present occupants. That there 
was, in the nature of things, a necessity for such a series of 
changes, we do not believe ; but the fact that there has been 
such a series, is plain evidence of design. It shows, conclu- 
sively, that some intelligent agent had been concerned in these 
changes, and that, by whatever title designated, he must have 
been an infinite Being, who worketh all things after the coun- 
sel of his own will. 

Proof Everywhere. 

Wherever we direct our attention, to whatever object our 
thoughts turn ; whether we contemplate ourselves materially 
or mentally, or take a survey of the inferior order of beings, 
or of the inanimate creation ; the earth — its structure, mo- 
tions, and adaptations — its parts, and its whole as composed 
of parts ; or look to other portions of the solar system, we are 
forced to the conclusion that there must be a supreme Being, 
the creator, upholder, and governor of all things. If we doubt, 
it is not for the want of evidence. 
3 



THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. 

Finite Creatures can know nothing, a priori, respecting the 
Infinite Creator. 

The great Architect of the universe must reveal himself, or 
his attributes will remain concealed. " Canst thou, by search- 
ing, find out God ?" There are, however, points, in regard to 
which we may reason without presumption, and come to con- 
clusions in all probability correct. 

We may affirm of the Being, who is by us designated God, 
that either he has had or has not had a beginning. If he had 
a beginning, then there was a period when he did not exist ; 
and there must have been a cause for the commencement of 
his existence ; and this cause must have been either in himself 
or out of himself. But it could not have been in himself, for 
that would be supposing him to exist before he existed. It 
could not have been out of himself, for that would be making 
him subject to another being, and himself a mere creature ; 
of course not the supreme God. Hence, he must be self- 
existent, not deriving existence from any external source 
whatever. In other words, to exist is a part of his nature — 
he cannot but exist — and must have existed from eternity, 
and will eternally continue to exist. That which does exist, 
and of which no reason can be assigned for its existence, ex- 
cept that its nature is to exist, and whose existence cannot be 
destroyed or limited by any agency whatever, must exist for 
ever. That there can be no power to terminate the existence 
of God is obvious, from the fact that he is infinitely above all 



THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. 27 

power but his own. We cannot intimate that he may desire 
to terminate his own existence, without implying imperfection 
in him ; but how can he be otherwise than perfect, if he be 
Supreme. 

To ascertain what are the attributes of this Being, besides 
self- existence and eternity, we must examine his works. — 
Whatever he has done, he has possessed sufficient power to 
do. The power which can cause something to exist where 
nothing had previously existed, must be so great that we can 
set no limits to it. Hence, it is appropriately termed infinite. 
The creator of all things is likewise their upholder, and for this 
infinite power is also requisite. He that made all things, and 
upholds all things, must be acquainted with all things, — in 
other words, is omniscient. Suppose him not omniscient, and 
you make him imperfect ; and if he be not perfect, in every 
respect, he is not truly the Supreme. God is omnipresent, for 
he constantly sustains and governs all things. Wherever his 
upholding and regulating power is, there he is. Established 
laws are but uniform modes of his operations. His laws per- 
vade the universe ; therefore, he pervades it, being in all, yet, 
in nature, distinct from all. Pantheism is as untrue as is 
Atheism. 

The works of God declare him infinitely wise. But is he 
a benevolent or a malevolent Being ? * We think it obvious 
that the original design of his operations, so far as they are 
discoverable, appears to be good and not evil ; it is nature 



* " What is true of an infinite Being, must be true of him to an infinite 
extent. Then, if God be possessed of any goodness, he is possessed of 
infinite goodness. An evil or malignant being must, from the nature of the 
passion, be unhappy ; and an infinite Being, if he be evil, must be infinitely 
unhappy. But God must be happy, as seen from the nature of his other 
attributes ; having infinite power, and wisdom, and knowledge, he can be 
happy, and, of course, will be ; and, if happy at all, infinitely so ; hence, 
not evil at all, but infinitely good, because happiness and goodness are insep 
arable." — Emerson' 's Lectures on Infidelity, 2d ed., p. 19. 






28 



abused and perverted, that occasions pain, and not the original 
tendency. The proofs of benevolence are to those of ma- 
levolence as a thousand to one. Moreover, we can account 
for all indications of the latter, without ascribing an evil na- 
ture to God ; but, in respect to the former, we cannot satisfy 
ourselves, unless we attribute to him a benevolent nature. His 
goodness may be seen everywhere ; for the veriest tokens of 
wrath toward erring man, are not destitute of intimations 
that he afflicts not willingly. The tornado, laying waste the 
habitations and destroying the lives of men, is made to sub- 
serve purposes of kindness. The more carefully we investi- 
gate the products of the infinite mind, the more do we discover 
indications of divine goodness. 

The preceding may be designated deductions of reason. 
Systematic theology contemplates the attributes of God in the 
light of the Scriptures, conjoined with that which shines from 
the manifestations of himself in his works. It defines them 
to be, " the several qualities or perfections of his nature." 

Classification of these Attributes. 

They are divided into two classes, natural and moral. Self- 
existence, eternity, immutability, omnipotence, omniscience, 
omnipresence, independence, and self-sufficiency, belong to the 
first class. Benevolence, wisdom, holiness, justice, veracity, 
and mercy, including grace, to the second. These last named, 
however, are as natural as the former, but, as they prove to 
us that God has a moral character, they therefore are placed 
in a separate class. Moral qualities are not predicable of the 
natural attributes. Omnipotence determines nothing respect- 
ing the benevolence or malevolence of him possessing it. — 
No emotion of love, or of hatred, is excited by the bare con- 
templation of omniscience or omnipresence. But we cannot 
meditate upon a moral attribute, without being conscious of 



THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. 29 

approving or disapproving — of having delight in it, or the 
reverse. The origin of this classification given to the divine 
attributes is simple, and may be illustrated by reference to 
intellectual philosophy. By analyzing the mind's operations, 
we find it capable of acting in a variety of ways, and there- 
fore we conclude it has the attributes which enable it thus to 
act. It being found that the mind remembers, the attribute 
of memory is assigned to it. Does the mind reason, then it 
is said to possess such a power. We perceive that God has 
accomplished many things requiring power greater than we 
can comprehend — it is absolutely beyond our conceptions ; 
hence our decision is, that he is omnipotent, and we class 
omnipotence as one of his attributes. So far as man can per- 
ceive, the works of the supreme Being exhibit marks of the 
highest skill, forethought, and adaptation of parts to a whole. 
Wherefore, we affirm, God is wise, and rank wisdom among 
his attributes. After the same manner, all the other attri- 
butes are discovered and placed in the catalogue. The 
method pursued is simple and natural. Can it be otherwise 
than satisfactory? From this general view, I proceed to 
notice particular attributes ; and, in so doing, I shall assume, 
for the present, the infallibility of the Scriptures. 

THE ONENESS OF GOD. 

The idea implied in this word oneness, as used in relation 
to the supreme Being, is more commonly designated by the 
term unity, which philosophers have defined to be, what is, in 
itself, indivisible, but divided from every thing else. It may be 
questioned, however, whether the word admits of a definition, 
any more than do the terms red, white, black. Unity, when 
employed descriptively in reference to God, means that he is 
one, in number, essence, and attributes. It is applied in a 
similar manner to man ; we say of him, he is one ; that is, 



30 zion's pathway. 

not many. Moreover, we affirm of a tree that it is one ; a 
city, also, is one ; and so is a state, a nation, a kingdom, and a 
world. 

The unity of an object determines nothing as to its nature 
in other respects. Man, though one, is constituted of matter 
and mind ; his mental part is one, yet it has a number of 
faculties. An army is one ; still, there are in it divisions and 
sub- divisions. Each division is formed by congregated indi- 
viduals, and each individual has a body and a soul, with vari- 
ous powers and capabilities. The affirmation, that God is one, 
declares his unity, in distinction from a plurality of Gods ; 
there is one God, and but one. 

What is the testimony of Reason, touching the Divine Unity? 

This faculty discovers a oneness of design, in all the works 
of Nature ; but oneness of agency does not necessarily follow 
from oneness of design. The entire mechanism of a watch 
exhibits unity of design, Avhile a hundred persons may have 
been employed in its production. Still, here it is evident that 
one mind had the superintendency of all the others engaged 
on the several parts. Nature affords no hint that there is 
more than one God ; and could we see with the clearness of 
Omniscience, we should doubtless perceive it to have been 
impossible that more than one was active in creating and ar- 
ranging the universe. 

It has been thought by some, that the existence of the op- 
posites, good and evil, indicates the agency of opposing Deities. 
But why should their existence be regarded as such proof ? 
Are there not antagonist forces operating in many parts of 
Nature ? The centrifugal and the centripetal agencies, by 
the influence of which the planets describe curvilinear orbits 
about the sun, are certainly far from acting in the same direc- 
tion, though they conspire to a beautiful result. No one is 



THE ATTRIBUTES OP GOD. 31 

embarrassed by the existence of good, and it is much easier 
to account for the introduction of evil on the supposition of 
one God, than of two or more. Both are evidently tending, 
to a grand end, the glory of the one Jehovah ; goodness, of 
its own accord, and evil, by an overruling providence. Were 
there more than one God, it is not probable that the latter 
could be turned to such account. 

Let us suppose the existence of two Deities. Now, it is 
evident, they must be alike or not alike. If perfectly alike, 
then it would be difficult to show wherein they are two ; their 
thoughts are the same, so are their acts. Take the position 
that they are unlike. One, therefore, must be superior to the 
other ; for the happiest description that can be given of God 
is the following : " He is the most perfect Being." If one be 
of this character, the other is of course imperfect ; and, con- 
sequently, does not answer to the idea we have of God. — 
Should the two be exactly opposed, each to the other, in all 
respects, and of equal ability, then precisely counteracted 
would be all their attempts to do any thing. Omnipotence 
opposed to omnipotence, can accomplish nothing. Something 
has been accomplished, therefore two such beings cannot have 
existed. The deductions of reason could be no more satisfac- 
tory, were we to proceed on the assumption of more than two 
Deities. 

We think it to be clear, that the idea of perfection is asso- 
ciated with a distinct apprehension of an almighty and infinite 
Lord. " In every science, reason searches for some one fun- 
damental principle ; she requires one first cause, one ideal of 
perfection, one supreme lawgiver ; and wherever reason has 
to content herself with plurality, as the ultimate and absolute 
in any thing, she feels that she has not attained a resting- 
place ; her innate demands are not satisfied." 



32 



TJie Bible View of this Attribute. 

Polytheism has prevailed extensively in the earth ; the 
imaginary divinities of men have been almost as numerous 
as the sands of the sea-shore. A primary object with the 
Scriptures is, to set the world right in respect to the point. 
" Every attentive student of the Bible will perceive, that to 
preserve or recover man from idolatry, by instructing him in 
the character and perfections of the one living and true God, 
and the way in which he should be worshipped and served, 
was, in some respects, the principal end for which revelation 
was vouchsafed." Hence, the testimony of the one Jehovah, 
respecting his own unity, might naturally be expected to be 
both explicit and full. Such is the fact. He has given line 
upon line, in regard to it. I shall proceed to select passages, 
taking them in their biblical order : 

" The Lord he is God, there is none else besides him." 
Deut. 4: 35. "The Lord our God is one Lord." 6: 4. 
" See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with 
me." 32 : 39. " There is none like thee, neither is there any 
God beside thee." 2 Sam. 7 : 22. " Thou art the God, even 
thou alone." 2 Kings, 19: 15. "Thou, even thou, art Lord 
alone." Neh. 9:6. " Thus saith the Lord, the King of Is- 
rael, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts ; I am the first, 
and I am the last; and besides me there is no God." Isa. 
44: 6. "I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is 
no God besides me." Isa. 45 : 5. " That they might know 
thee, the only true God." John, 17 : 3. " To us there is but 
one God." 1 Cor. 8:6. " God is one." Gal. 3 : 20. " Now 
unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise 
God, be honor and glory for ever and ever." 1 Tim. 1 : 17. 
"Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well." 
James, 2:19. 



THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. 33 

These declarations are such as we might reasonably expect 
to find. Nor can their direct bearing be difficult of discovery. 
The claims of God, the infinite and true, are asserted in op- 
position to idols. By them is refuted the heathen notion of 
many divinities. They are not mere exclamations, but inspired 
dicta. 

Abraham was called out from Ur of Chaldea, for the pur- 
pose of establishing a pure worship of the great I Am. His 
ancestors had dwelt amidst idolatry; perhaps they were them- 
selves guilty of it. Israel was an elect nation ; for this, as well 
as other reasons, that, among them, the correct idea respecting 
God might be cherished. Surrounded by polytheists, they 
were constantly in danger of being drawn astray ; hence the 
frequent warnings they received. 

The texts which teach the oneness of God, do, in the judg- 
ment of some, preclude every shadow of claim on the part of 
Christ to an equality with the Father. But the Lord Jesus 
was not an idol ; therefore the passages, which speak only 
against idolatry, do not deny his divinity. The sacred volume 
is its own interpreter. If in one part, or in many, yea, in 
all parts, it unequivocally asserts the oneness of God, and 
is alike definite and comprehensive in its testimony to a 
trinity of persons in the divine Being, both doctrines must 
be true; and if true, they are neither contradictory nor in- 
consistent. 

Are we assured that trinity in unity is an impossibility? 
Surely it is not, provided it exists ; for the fact of its exist- 
ence proves it a possibility. Shall we be told, that reason 
utterly rejects the sentiment as absurd ? Our reply would be 
couched in the form of an interrogation, whose reason ? Not 
that of the greatest Being in the universe, if he has revealed 
it as an eternal truth; let it appear that the doctrine of a 
trinity of persons in the Godhead can be deduced from the 
teachings of the Most High to man, then shall we know that 



84: zion's pathway. 

it accords fully with the reason of the uncreated God, and of 
all created intelligences. 

Is the doctrine of the Trinity contrary to reason? The 
question is not, whether it implies more than the largest 
powers of any human or angelic mind can comprehend. 
Perhaps we fully apprehend nothing pertaining to the God- 
head. Are we not profoundly ignorant even of ourselves ? 
Who understands perfectly the properties of any portion of 
matter, however minute ? No living being on earth, is able 
to show how with the eye man sees, or by means of the ear 
he hears. Philosophy goes but a little distance in examining 
or explaining any subject. Our simplest motions and emo- 
tions are, to us, as certainly incomprehensible as are the deep- 
est things in theology. On what subject are we not profoundly 
ignorant ? 

The doctrine of the Trinity is, we admit, above reason, ex- 
cept as revelation brings it down to us. Being above reason, 
it cannot be shown to be contrary to reason, for what is above 
reason cannot be reasoned about. But whatever God has 
revealed, it was proper that he should make known to us in 
just the way and to the extent that he has done. Man is not 
duly acquainted with his own moral necessities, till informed 
by Him who knows all things. Creatures, naturally, are 
wholly ignorant of the nature of the supreme Being ; nor can 
they be otherwise, till he develops himself. Whether there 
be three persons, or a less number, or a greater, in the God- 
head, is a point in respect to which no human being has the 
least means to form a definite opinion, otherwise than as the 
Almighty himself has furnished them. Pompous declarations, 
by narrow-sighted, self-conceited worms, are far more indica- 
tive of contracted than of enlarged views. In no manner is 
the stupidity and folly of man more openly displayed, than 
when he declaims against the doctrine of the Trinity. We 
hang our heads in shame, on account of those who boastingly 



THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. 35 

exhibit their ignorance on this subject. Those only conform 
to right reason, who meekly and thankfully receive the word 
of the Lord. The proud are left to confusion ; yea, strong 
delusions are even sent upon them, as a righteous retribution 
from an insulted God. 



THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD. 

No term employed in connection with delineations of the 
Divine nature and character is more the occasion of cavil, 
than is that of sovereignty. Many misapprehend its import. 
Jehovah is not a tyrant ; delighting in a mere display of 
arbitrary power. He never acts without the best of reasons. 
"True and righteous are his judgments." Nor is he ever 
unkind, " How excellent is thy loving kindness, O God." 

By the sovereignty of the supreme Being, we are to under- 
stand that in all his thoughts, purposes, and acts, he is guided 
by his own independent pleasure — creatures are not in any 
case consulted in the Divine deliberations. The work of cre- 
ation as a whole ; the number of worlds of which each system 
should be formed ; what should be the dimensions of the cen- 
tral suns ; how many planets should be assigned to each sun ; 
their quantity of matter, their figures, and their velocity, both 
in their diurnal and annual revolutions, were decided by his 
unbiased will. 

The existence and endowment of all living beings, were 
determined by him alone ; and they subsist in as many orders 
as he saw fit to appoint ; also their capabilities are as he de- 
signed them. It was in his power to give life or to refrain 
from so doing. He was before all things. Our globe is 
entirely a product of his sovereignty. " He spake, and it was 
done ; he commanded, and it stood fast." The same is true 
of human beings. Only two persons were originally made, 
instead of a greater number, because God so counselled. The 



36 zion's pathway. 

population of the earth ; the location of the different nations, 
their natural advantages, were purposed by him, independently 
of their choice. 

The means of grace are given or withheld by him. To one 
nation he sends the gospel ; another is left in the darkness of 
heathenism. The descendants of Jacob were selected for a 
peculiar people ; while the rest of the world seemed, for ages, 
to have been delivered up to superstition. One community 
he blesses with a revival, and permits another to lie as a deso- 
late field, while a third is cursed by a delusion. Here a sin- 
gle family is visited with saving mercy ; and every one besides, 
in the place, remains unaffected. From a large household 
only a few are made the recipients of grace, while all enjoy 
the same means of becoming holy. The commencement of 
life and its long continuance, or abrupt termination, are wholly 
as the Almighty determines. " We cannot conceive how God 
could have made more or greater distinctions among men, in 
this life, than he has made ; or how he could have made greater 
or more visible displays of his sovereignty in governing one and 
the same large family." It has been well affirmed in regard to 
this doctrine, that to assert it " would seem to be the part of 
the consistent philosophical theologian ; to deny it, the business 
of a timorous moderation, of a time-serving policy, or of the 
native pride and self-sufficiency of man." 

Sovereignty is not an assumption, on the part of God, but 
an attribute of his nature. Infinitely superior to all crea- 
tures, he necessarily acts independently of them ; and could 
not cease to be a sovereign, were the desire to enter his 
mind. 

The Scriptures are free and ample in respect to the point 
now contemplated. We meet it in the first chapter of the 
volume, yea, in the opening verse ; for we are there informed, 
that, by a mere act of sovereignty, God summoned into exist- 
ence the material universe. We find the fact expressed in 



THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. 37 

the following terms : " By the word of the Lord were the 
heavens made ; and all the host of them by the breath of his 
mouth." Ps. 33 : 6. Each specification, recorded in the first 
chapter of the Bible, teaches and illustrates the doctrine. — 
The Most High spake, and the chaotic materials assumed 
various forms of order and beauty. He gave the command : 
" Let there be light, and there was light." The waters di- 
vide ; the dry land appears ; the diversified productions of 
the sea, the soil, and the air, all come into being at his simple 
bidding. One fiat suffices ; nothing hesitates. Man stands 
up in full maturity of body and of mind. Then issues the 
law of paradise, without the consent of him for whom it is 
framed. When it was violated, the penalty was peremptorily 
executed, without the permission of the offender. 

Absolute sovereignty is demonstrated in the history of the 
world's destruction by the flood. The guilty inhabitants were 
warned, but not consulted. The fountains of the great deep, 
and the windows of heaven, heard the voice of Jehovah, and 
yielded at once to the call, not heeding in the least the agonies 
of dying millions. The fire that consumed Sodom, and the 
adjacent cities, fell at the mandate of sovereignty, devouring 
men, women, and children, as if they were stubble. Pharaoh, 
to whom Moses and Aaron were sent, affords a conspicuous 
example, illustrative of the doctrine. The ten plagues, the 
heart hardened, and the overthrow in the Red Sea, utter a 
uniform sentiment : " And in very deed for this cause have 
I raised thee up, for to show in thee my power; and that 
my name may be declared throughout all the earth." Ex. 9 : 
16. The various dealings of God with many individuals 
and nations, clearly evince the fact of his sovereignty. It is 
enough barely to refer the reader to the Canaanites, the Mid- 
ianites, the Assyrians, and Chaldeans. "We may gaze upon 
the ruins of numerous cities, whose walls have been demol- 
ished by the will of Jehovah. " Be still and know that I am 
4 



38 z ion's pathway. 

God ; I will be exalted among the heathen ; I will be exalted 
in the earth." 

In the afflictions which befall man, the supreme Being is 
declared to be a sovereign. " For he maketh sore and bind- 
eth up ; he woundeth, and his hands make whole." " I kill, 
and I make alive ; I wound and I heal, neither is there any 
that can deliver out of my hand." The Scriptures assert, un- 
equivocally, that human life is limited by God. " Seeing his 
days are determined, the number of his months are with 
thee ; thou hast appointed his bounds, that he cannot pass." 
Job, 14 : 5. 

Such passages as the ensuing, are explicit. " Forever, O 
Lord, thy word is settled in heaven." Ps. 119 : 89. "There 
are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel 
of the Lord that shall stand." Prov. 19 : 21. "The Lord of 
hosts hath sworn, saying, surely as I have thought so shall 
it come to pass ; as I have purposed, so shall it stand." 
Isa. 14 : 24. " He doeth according to his will in the army of 
heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth ; and none 
can stay his hand, or say unto him what doest thou ? " Dan. 
4: 35. 

The Saviour, in the parable of the laborers, inculcates the 
doctrine of Divine sovereignty, in respect to the bestowment 
of favors. " Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine 
own ? Is thine eye evil, because I am good ? §o the last 
shall be first, and the first last, for many be called but few 
chosen." Matt. 20: 15, 16. By inspiration, we are taught that 
" it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of 
God that showeth mercy." Rom. 9:16. In strict harmony 
with these particular texts, is the general tenor of the Bible ; 
and the teachings of that book are corroborated by daily oc- 
currences in the realm of nature ; also in the operations of 
providence. To this man are given five talents ; to another 
two, and to another one. An idiot may be the nearest neigh- 






THE ATTRIBUTES OP GOD. 39 

bor of him whose intellect is surpassingly brilliant. Some 
live when all the energies of death are hold of them ; and 
many drop away without any apparent disease. Now, the 
atmosphere is converted into the deadly sirocco ; then made 
bland as the breath of heaven ; and always is according to 
the pleasure of God. He sends rain and forms a flood, or 
parches the earth till it becomes powder and dust. " How 
unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding 
out ! " 

That attribute of the Deity, here briefly contemplated, can- 
not fail to gladden the heart of the enlightened Christian. It 
allows to God the sole occupancy of the seat of empire ; and 
every child of his must desire that he should have it. The 
Judge of all cannot err. Clouds and darkness may be round 
about him, but righteousness and judgment are the habitation 
of his throne. " I rejoice in his sovereignty," said a dying 
lady. To the independent Jehovah she cheerfully committed 
her husband and children. Whenever this doctrine is opposed, 
we infer there is misapprehension or unregeneracy. Wicked 
men cannot be pleased with it; but their resistance avails 
nothing, except to array the anger of the Lord against them- 
selves. Utterly impotent are all efforts to subvert the pur- 
poses of the Almighty ; for with infinite ease he can defeat 
every design of man, securing praise from maliciousness. — 
The sinner, under the strivings of the Spirit, is soon con- 
vinced that his eternal destiny depends on the changeless de- 
termination of God ; and, till his heart is truly humble, he 
will hate what he cannot help. Often do the impenitent gnash 
their teeth in view of the Lord's sovereignty. 

This doctrine should be fully and frequently presented from 
the pulpit; though he, discharging duty in , this respect, will 
doubtless incur odium. It is humbling to human pride. We 
shall inevitably think more highly of ourselves than we ought, 
if the doctrine be disbelieved. Correct feeling ascribes all 






40 zion's pathway. 

goodness in the creature to unmerited mercy. " By the grace 
of God I am what I am." 

It may properly be observed, that the Divine sovereignty 
does not in the least conflict with the free moral agency of 
man. Truths never clash. Facts cannot interfere one with 
another. Jehovah is a sovereign ; man is free and account- 
able. O let all tremblingly remember, that, for the stubborn 
rejecters of the doctrine of the Divine sovereignty, the judg- 
ment day will exhibit terrors from which no covering can 
shield them. Yials of ceaseless wrath will be poured on their 
unprotected heads. 



THE IMMUTABILITY OF GOD. 

The Term Defined. 

By immutability, as applied to the supreme Being, is meant, 
that his nature, the mode of his existence, and his purposes, 
never change. In these respects he ever has been and always 
will be the same. Furthermore, the term imports that " God 
has, at one time, the same feelings or affections towards any 
being or event, which he would have at any other time towards 
that being or event, existing in all other respects the same." 
Variety in his manner of treating a person, or a nation, is not 
excluded. A settled purpose to deal with a moral agent ac- 
cording to his deserts, might demand frequent alterations in 
the divine regimen. He that is inflated with pride, must be 
disciplined in a different manner when in the condition sup- 
posed, from what is suited to him when filled with self-loath- 
ing. How prospered of the Lord was Israel once ; and what 
judgments have long been falling upon that people. Why 
this change on the part of the Almighty ? Because of a cor- 
responding one in that nation. God's immutable love of right- 
eousness, and hatred of sin, necessitated him to the course 
pursued. 



THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. 41 



Scripture Testimony. 

" God is not a man, that he should lie ; neither the son of 
man, that he should repent." Num. 23 : 19. This passage 
was extorted by the agency of the Most High from the lips 
of Balaam. Its value consists not in the fact that he said it, 
but in the circumstances in which it was uttered. The false 
prophet was compelled to declare the truth ; instead of curs- 
ing, he was forced to bless. " And also the strength of Israel 
will not lie nor repent." 1 Sam. 15 : 29. The occasion which 
drew out this testimony, renders it very forcible. " Thou art 
the same, and thy years shall have no end." Ps. 102 : 27. 
Contrasting the changeableness of the earth and visible heav- 
ens, with the eternity and immutability of God, the Psalmist 
concludes in the words just quoted. Preceding this passage 
is the following pointed statement : " The counsel of the Lord 
standeth forever ; the thoughts of his heart to all generations." 
Ps. 33 : 11. We read in Proverbs, 19 : 21, that, "there are 
many devices in a man's heart, nevertheless the counsel of the 
Lord, that shall stand." Jehovah speaks of himself by Isaiah, 
46 : 10, thus : " Declaring the end from the beginning, and 
from ancient times the things that are not yet done ; saying, 
my counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure." — 
Strong is the announcement by the prophet Malachi : " For 
I am the Lord, I change not." 3 : 6. The apostle tells us, 
Rom. 11 : 29, that, "the gifts and calling of God are without 
repentance." i. e. Jehovah never changes his purpose. What 
he absolutely promised to the Hebrew patriarchs he will not 
fail to perform, however perverse may be the posterity of 
those ancient saints. It was according to an eternal plan, 
" purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord," that the apostles 
preached the gospel. Eph. 3 : 11. Salvation is made the 
possession of individuals, by a predestination of him "who 
4* 



42 zion's pathway. 

worketh all things after the counsel of his own will," as we 
learn from the same epistle. James speaks of the " Father 
of lights, with whom is no variableness neither shadow of 
turning." 1 : 17. The foregoing are a mere sample of what 
the Scriptures teach on this subject. 

This Attribute enters into our Ideas of God. 

Immutability is associated, in our minds, with that infinite 
and perfect Being, by us termed God. We mean, when 
speaking of him, not a created, fallible existence. What is 
the Lord if he be not absolutely perfect. Now, mutability 
implies imperfection. If Jehovah may change, then he is 
capable of becoming a better God than he now is, or of ceas- 
ing to be as excellent as he is at present. In either case, the 
fact of mutability being established, the fact of imperfection 
is likewise made certain. Prove that God is changeable, 
and you prove him an imperfect Being ; you prove that there 
is no supreme ruler in the universe. These suggestions are 
not used as arguments, by which to establish the immutability 
of God ; yet it is well for us to know where assumptions, that 
seem to be harmless, may possibly carry us. 

Again : If there be a God, he is infinitely superior to all 
agencies and influences. No power, exterior to himself, can 
be imagined, which could, in any way, cause him to vary from 
his eternal unchangeableness ; and there can be no possible 
agency which would induce him to make a voluntary change 
in the mode of his existence, or in the purposes of his heart. 
Whatever possesses the attributes of a motive, derives its ex- 
istence from God, and is equally present to his mind at all 
periods of his eternity. Jehovah is immutably omniscient, 
and immutably omnipresent. 



THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. 



An Objection Considered. 

Are there not, however, in the Scriptures, statements, which 
seem to set aside the evidence already gathered from the in- 
spired pages ? I refer to such as the following : " And it 
repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it 
grieved him at his heart." Gen. 6: 6. "And the Lord re- 
pented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people." 
Ex. 32: 14. "Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, 
saying, it repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king." 
1 Sam. 15: 10, 11. "For the Lord will judge his people, 
and he will repent himself concerning his servants." Ps. 135 : 
14. "And God saw their works, that they turned from their 
evil way ; and God repented of the evil that he had said that 
he would do unto them ; and he did it not." Jonah, 3 : 10. 
With these and similar texts, many facts in the Divine admin- 
istration apparently coincide. Does now the sacred volume 
contradict itself ? Are some facts in the government of God 
set aside by others, which are directly their opposites ? These 
are questions which no enlightened christian will desire to see 
buried or evaded. If the Bible do unqualifiedly falsify its 
own assertions, then is it of no authority ; being untrue here, 
it may be there and everywhere. 

Now, the doctrine of the immutability of God is most ex- 
plicitly taught in the Scriptures ; the fact is undeniable ; its 
obviousness precludes doubt. We are then brought to a sin- 
gle inquiry, How may those passages, which say the Lord 
repented in certain instances, be reconciled with this doctrine ? 
It will be readily admitted that the Most High has a perfect 
right to use any forms of speech concerning himself, which he 
may judge useful to his creatures. He has, moreover, deemed 
it needful to employ a great variety of figures, when commu- 
nicating with the human family. The sacred penman, by his 



44 zion's pathway. 

authority, style him a rock, and this figure possesses great 
force, with those who know how rocks were serviceable in the 
country where the Bible was written. Such a metaphor 
would not have received the Divine sanction, if any rational 
being were to be necessarily injured by it. True, some may 
stumble where nought but a feather impedes the passage ; but 
the difficulty lies not in the obstruction. 

Let us now draw near to these, as some think, troublesome 
representations, that we may perceive their consistency or in- 
consistency with the doctrine of the Divine immutability. It 
is obvious, that they were not uttered for the purpose of op- 
posing this doctrine. Also it is plain that the inspired writers 
did not suppose themselves to be conflicting in one statement 
with what they advance elsewhere. Indeed, in some passages, 
Jehovah appears asserting the repentance named, of himself ; 
while, in various other places, he proclaims his own changeless 
nature and designs. Does not the Lord sometimes do what 
would indicate an alteration of purpose, provided the same 
acts were performed by man ? Were an individual to erect 
a goodly edifice, and should he, soon after its completion, delib- 
erately begin to take it down, all beholding might naturally 
conclude that he repented of building it. So, when the Al- 
mighty destroys his own work, which seems made to stand, 
then does he appear to have repented. Whenever there is 
this outward exhibition, this appearance of repentance, speak- 
ing after the manner of men, it may be said that he repented. 
Such is a true explanation of some of the passages consti- 
tuting the class before us. Others are clearly instances in 
which positive threatenings were uttered with an implied but 
not expressed condition. " Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall 
be overthrown." What language could be more bold and 
unqualified ? Still, the inhabitants of the designated city 
supposed the sentence conditional, for they immediately at- 
tempted to avert it ; nor were they unsuccessful. Humbling 



THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. 45 

themselves before the Lord, he did not destroy them ; and, by 
a figure of speech, it is affirmed that he repented. Expres- 
sions of this description are merely an accommodation to hu- 
man weakness. Much of the scriptural phraseology, with 
reference to the Holy One, is metaphorical. Who is misled 
by it ? Surely, not the meek inquirer after truth. No hum- 
ble child of God stumbles upon a scriptural metaphor. Cav- 
illers are not desirous that difficulties, real or imaginary, 
should be obviated. To be dissatisfied with the Bible is their 
joy ; and it is probable that many of them will persist in their 
course of opposition till death and hell engulf them. 

God never does what he had not from eternity purposed. 
It was as certain, millions of years before the world was cre- 
ated, that the flood would overwhelm the human race, one 
family alone excepted, as it was when the fountains of the 
great deep were actually broken up, and the windows of 
heaven were opened. The supposition that the all-wise Je- 
hovah alters his purpose, is not simply a harmless mistake, 
it is a baneful error. Far, far from mortals be the thought, 
that events in time can change eternal counsels ; that the 
moral revolutions among men may revolutionize the govern- 
ment of Jehovah. We should as wisely conclude that the 
great orb of light, when by reason of clouds we see it not, 
has been converted into an object altogether unlike this lu- 
minary, because it is not the same to us, as to infer a change 
in the purpose of God, because the course of his providence 
has undergone a change. The veiling of the sun from our 
view, we know cannot affect at all its power of diffusing light. 
We ought to consider, that the varying acts of the Almighty 
may result as naturally from an unvarying purpose as from 
several purposes ; and that, in fact, there can be with him 
only immutable purposes. 



46 zion's pathway. 



This Attribute a Source of Joy. 

God's unchangeableness is an attribute in which every in 
telligent creature ought to rejoice. By it the Divine perfec 
tions are held in perpetual harmony. The supreme Being is 
infinitely wise, powerful, and good ; thus he will continue to 
be forever. There is, therefore, no possibility of confusion, 
or conflict, among those attributes. 

Nature's laws are but uniform modes in which the Ruler of 
the universe exhibits himself among his works. The steadi- 
ness by which the earth pursues its course, in the annual cir- 
cuit marked out to it, and in its diurnal revolutions, results 
from this attribute of Jehovah. Seed-time and harvest, sum- 
mer and winter, obey its order. Destroy the immutability of 
God, and every thing beneath the sun might be instantly re- 
versed ; the mountains moving, the trees migrating, and all 
the streams of water retreating to their sources ; in less than 
a day the entire globe might exhibit a chaos as unseemly as 
that which characterized it ere the first of the six day's work 
was performed. 

Still more essential, if possible, is this attribute to God, as 
the moral governor of rational beings. It secures a perma- 
nency of principles in his administration. Having once ascer- 
tained his will, the subjects of his rule are not necessitated to 
search for it a second time ; it abides with unvarying exact- 
ness. What secures the Divine approbation to-day, will do it 
to-morrow, and onwards. But were God mutable, he might 
at one time disapprove what at others he actually requires ; 
might this year punish us for doing the very service which 
twelve months since he absolutely demanded. Annihilation 
would be preferable to existence under the fickle regimen of 
an ever-changing God. Who would not desire rather an im- 
mutable nothingness. 



: 



THE ATTRIBUTES OP GOD. 47 

Here is a source of unspeakable joy to the christian. The 
holiness of his Lord is everlasting ; heaven's bliss admits of 
no decrease ; its blessed scenes of purity are not only perfect 
but perpetual. Their lustre cannot be tarnished ; the celestial 
city can have no fear of being unparadised. 

Jehovah's promises are all made sure by his immutability. 
The feelings of his heart, and the counsels of his will, con- 
tinue unaltered. Nothing occurs, in the condition of things, 
which was not foreseen and predetermined. " He is in one 
mind and who can turn him ? And what his soul desireth even 
that he doeth." How munificent are the favors hung out in 
predictions to the Church, and fail they cannot ; in the time 
appointed, which is the best possible, they shall be accom- 
plished. Means, too, ordained by the Lord, when faithfully 
employed, are sure of his benediction ; his immutability en- 
sures their success, God's throne shall sooner crumble be- 
neath him, than one of his promises to his people become null. 
On the Divine immutability the believer may firmly and joy- 
fully rest. 

" Let mountains from their seats be hurled, 

Down to the deep and buried there ; 
Convulsions shake the solid world, 

Our faith shall never yield to fear." 



A fearful Attribute for the Wicked. 

To the unrepenting sinner, this attribute betokens nothing 
but terror ; for God is immutably holy, and consequently un- 
changeably arrayed against impenitence. Threatenings will 
be executed ; vengeance sleeps not, and will be poured out 
according to the Lord's determination. Endless suffering in 
hell is as sure to be the lot of those rejecting Christ, as if each 
were now feeling the gnawings of the undying worm, and the 
devouring flames of the unquenchable fire. By the immuta- 



48 zion's pathway. 

bility of God, the terms of life everlasting continue the same 
till the end of time, and the doom of such as reject them is 
settled for eternity. 

Rebels against Jehovah would do well to consider with 
whom they are at war. It is not merely wisdom, power, and 
holiness, each possessed in perfection, that they have daily 
challenged by their wickedness, but it is these and all the 
attributes of the Most High in their unchangeableness. An 
endless warfare the sinner has begun — O, madness most 
insane ! Hide thee in the dust, thou impotent being ! Go, 
with the reptiles, into the secret openings of the earth. — 
Blush to be called a human being. Thou, at war with im- 
mutable holiness defended by Omnipotence ! Couldst thou 
but once see thyself, thine own eyes would loathe thee, and 
thine own lips hiss thee. Ye contemptible opposers of good- 
ness, in vain shall your cry be heard, saying to the mountains, 
" Cover us ; and to the hills, fall on us." These obey the 
laws of the Divine immutability, and now abhor you. 

I vary, for a moment, the style of my address to the op- 
posers of God's unchangeable requirements. Stand up in all 
the dignity of your assumed importance ; walk forth amid 
creation's wonders ; exercise the authority supposed by your- 
selves to be within you ; bid the rivers stop in their channels ; 
order the lightnings to be quiet, and the thunders to utter 
their voices no more ; chain the earth in its orbit, and send 
back every beam that issues from the sun ; scale the heavens ; 
visit all the planets, and weigh the fixed stars, those luminaries 
of other systems ; do what I have named, and infinitely more, 
but never think to affect the immutability of God ! 



THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. 49 



THE OMNISCIENCE OF GOD. 

Omniscience, as the composition of the term indicates, des- 
ignates perfect knowledge. The Lord knows all things. He 
has not only the most comprehensive understanding of them, 
but is acquainted with them in all their minuteness. Ani- 
malcules, millions of which may occupy together a single drop 
of water, are as fully the subjects of his knowledge, as are 
men and angels. He created matter, and endowed it with 
various attributes ; wherefore, its properties and relations can- 
not be unknown to him. With him originated, also, the men- 
tal world, with all its endowments ; hence, to him, none of its 
departments or operations can be unknown. The moral world, 
too, sprang into being at his word. All things are constantly 
upheld by him. Moreover, he is perfectly acquainted with 
his own infinite nature. The knowledge of the Lord neither 
increases nor diminishes ; because eternally he knew all things 
that ever could be known. It is impossible that any new ideas 
should arise in his mind. 

This infinitude of the Divine knowledge, is set forth in 
diversified phraseology in the Scriptures. In Job, 26 : 6, 
" Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering." 
In Psalm, 147 : 5, it is said, " His understanding is infinite." 
In Hebrews, 4: 13, we read, "Neither is there any creature 
that is not manifest in his sight ; but all things are naked and 
opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." In 
1 John, 3 : 20, we find the following, " God is greater than 
our heart, and knoweth all things." We might make an ap- 
peal to the predictions of future events, and point to their 
fulfilment as a proof of God's omniscience. A being not 
infinite in knowledge, is incapable of asserting infallibly the 
occurrence of any future event. The whole course of divine 
5 



50 



ZION S PATHWAY. 



Providence is a clear comment upon the sentiment we are 
considering ; and each new leaf turned in this great Book of 
the Lord illustrates it. 



THE OMNIPRESENCE OF GOD. 

In affirming that God is omnipresent, we mean that he is 
everywhere at one and the same time. He is here, in heaven, 
and in all parts of his vast universe perpetually ; present with 
Gabriel, and present with us ; he listens to the notes of the 
highest seraph, and at the same time to the cry of the meanest 
of his creatures ; is with the king on his throne, and with the 
prisoner in his dungeon. God is everywhere present, as the 
upholder, governor, and arbiter of all things. To us, limited 
to a single position, the idea of ubiquity is surely incompre- 
hensible ; yet, we seem to be mentally where we are not 
bodily. Jehovah is an infinite mind. On this attribute of the 
Deity, both ancients and moderns have speculated extensively. 
But here, as elsewhere, theories are futile, and one great re- 
vealed fact should satisfy us. Why speak of God as being 
infinite space, or as substance, diffused through the universe ? 
Plato called him the soul of the world. He is, indeed, such 
in a sense, but not according to any pantheistic representation. 
The Scriptures, accommodating themselves to the limited na- 
ture of man's faculties, describe the omnipresence of God by 
figures, like the following: "The eyes of the Lord run to 
and fro, throughout the whole earth." 2 Chron. 16: 9. "His 
eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings." 
Job, 34 : 21. "The ways of man are before the eyes of the 
Lord, and he pondereth all his goings." Prov. 5 : 21. Jeho- 
vah thus speaks of himself: "Mine eyes are upon all their 
ways. They are not hid from my face, neither is their in- 
iquity hid from mine eyes." Jer. 16: 17. Again, "Am I a 



THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. 51 

God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can 
any hide himself in secret places, that I shall not see him, 
saith the Lord ? Do not I fill heaven and earth, saith the 
Lord ? " Jer. 23 : 23, 24. The omniscience and omnipresence 
of God are inseparably connected, and are necessary to the 
perfection of the Divine nature. Without them, he could 
not be an impartial Judge. Suppose the Almighty to know 
every thing, except what has transpired in this world, for the 
last fifteen minutes ; that ignorance, alone, might embarrass 
him in all his administration. He must be absolutely ac- 
quainted with every event and emotion, or not be truly an 
infinite Lord. Limit his knowledge in the least, and you 
destroy his perfection. If God know all things, then there 
is no escape from his scrutiny. The same inference follows, 
if he be present in every place continually. For he is not 
present as an unconscious Being, but as omniscient. 

A Mistake Corrected. 

It is well known that the atheist, the theist, and the panthe- 
ist, have long claimed the material world as peculiarly their 
own. The first, adopting as his creed, no God ; the second, 
a God ; and third, all God ; each has sought and found proof 
in nature, as he supposes, that his favorite creed is the true 
one. Theoretically they differ, but practically they harmo- 
nize ; for all of them, acting upon the belief of the first, rec- 
ognize an intelligent God nowhere. 

Believers in the infallibility of the Bible, adopt, as an arti- 
cle of their creed, God everywhere. The language is concise, 
the import vast ; but when they give their comment, not sel- 
dom appears a palpable inconsistency. To the rejecters of 
the inspired word, they have shown themselves quite too 
ready to yield, not only the material world, but the intel- 
lectual also. Forgetting the song of the morning stars, and 



52 zion's pathway. 

the shout of the angels, when the earth arose into its present 
form, at the bidding of Jehovah, they seem to remember only 
the curse pronounced upon it, and transmit that curse from 
age to age. Because sin has disordered the moral world, and 
God's image there has been effaced, the unwarrantable con- 
clusion seems to be drawn, that intellect has lost its connection 
with the infinite Mind, and must necessarily be considered an 
enemy to all righteousness. I confess an unwillingness to ad- 
mit, in any degree, the infidel's claim. Adopting, as my own 
belief, God everywhere, I would recognize his agency no less 
in the world of matter than in that of mind, and in both as 
actually as in the moral. 

Whatever is beautiful and sublime in nature, polished in 
art, mysterious in science, and wonderful in intellect, I would 
view as the result of his direct or indirect agency. The 
painted canvass, the chiselled marble, the brazen statue, the 
curious mechanism, the costly edifice, and the magnificent 
temple, bespeak the presence of mind ; and mind always points 
upwards. Even the tower, erected on the plains of Shinar, 
should elevate our thoughts to the Deity, for it brought him 
down to earth. Egypt's towering pyramids may yet be seen 
to be not more the monuments of man's folly than of God's 
wisdom. The former may have been influenced by vanity, in 
planning and executing ; not so the latter, in permitting and 
superintending. Ancient hieroglyphics, like the mystic char- 
acters on the wall of Belshazzar's palace, were written by the 
fingers of a man's hand. As the former, when interpreted, re- 
vealed momentous truths, so may the latter bring to light many 
facts confirmative of the Bible. Those great achievements of 
intellect, which adorn the history of other ages, were not the off- 
spring of chance. Future developments will doubtless show, 
that important parts have been acted in the economy of God, by 
those whose talents we have admired, but whom we have, 
perhaps, regarded as belonging to another order of beings ; a 



THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. 53 

race, seemingly, unknown even to the Deity. We should not 
deny that the day may come, when something more shall be 
associated with the name of Homer, than the sublimity of his 
conceptions, and the melody of his verse. The same Being, 
who raised up David to chant the songs of Zion, gave exist- 
ence also to the prince of Grecian bards, for ends, though 
widely different, yet equally wise. " Shall not the Judge of 
all the earth do right ? " Weep we should, at the perversion 
of talent, and in view of the eternal ruin of minds, that were 
once mighty on earth ; still, we must not forget that God is 
the maker of mind. 

Confucius, Zoroaster, and Socrates, were a part of the in- 
strumentality which a superintending Providence has em- 
ployed for purposes honorable to the Triune. Aristotle, with 
his entities and nillities, his phantasms and forms, did not live 
in vain. The ability of Demosthenes to be eloquent, came 
from the same source as did his 

Whose lips the seraph touch' d with fire, 
From off the glowing altar brought. 

Again, we say, let us mourn over the degradation of great 
minds, but let us not exclude them from the pale of humanity, 
nor imagine them beyond the Divine ken or purpose ; wan- 
dering stars are stars, though astray. They may never cease 
to be out of a safe orbit ; yet, in all their endless career, they 
are stars. 

The impiety, which ranks the renowned men of antiquity 
with Jesus Christ, is almost too great to be forgiven ; yet it 
will not answer for us to assign them another origin than our 
own. " Have we not all one Father ? Hath not one God 
created us ? " With unfeigned thanksgiving we should prize 
the holy light which shines on our pilgrimage path, and drop 
a sympathetic tear on the tomb of those great, in all achieve- 
ments, except such as are the result of faith. 
5* 



54 zion's pathway. 



God intended we should see Mm Everywhere. 

He is in all places at all times. All is not God — but God 
is in all. By him are held the central suns, and rolled around 
the ponderous planets. Seasons come and go, as he directs. 
The Most High speaks ; then the north winds retire, and 
the zephyrs come ; genial rays unlock the earth's long-bound 
bosom ; the fettered streams break loose their bonds ; the bird 
returns from its winter retreat ; the wild beast comes out of 
his den ; man goes forth to his toil ; the air is filled with notes 
of praise, and heaven seems descending to earth. It is the 
Lord that awakens into life, at the return of each spring, myr- 
iads of happy songsters ; and sets in tune numberless voices 
of the musical tribes, from the cricket, that chirps under the 
window, to the chief bird-singer, that fills the air with its me- 
lodious strains. Under the watchful eye and ceaseless care 
of the Almighty, are reared the plants of summer. He im- 
parts to the pink its fragrance, paints the colors of the rose, 
gives fingers to the vine, and spreads a carpet of thousand 
beauties over the entire face of nature. In autumn, he ripens 
the apple, mellows the pear, gives flavor to the peach, and 
prepares all the variety of products for the garner. The in- 
finite Ruler speaks in the cold of winter. Every chilling 
blast of wind admonishes the living that the dreary night of 
death, and the sternness of the grave, are near. The sifting 
snows suggest the winding sheet ; the shut-up way points to 
the end of life. 

God commands the morning, and causes the day-spring to 
know its place ; he sends forth the leading star, and flushes 
the sky with presages of the king of day, ere he is seen " re- 
joicing in the east." His are 

" The elouds, that seem like chariots of saints, 
By fiery coursers drawn, as brightly hued 



THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. 55 

As if the glorious, bushy, golden locks 
Of thousand cherubim had been shorn off 
And on the temples hung of morn and eve." 

And his, too, are the colors that change and sport around 
the place where Nature's great orb retires, having run his 
race. By God, were the heavens spread out as a curtain ; by 
him are they garnished with beauty. He marshals every 
star, binding the sweet influences of Pleiades, and loosing 
the bands of Orion ; bringing forth Mazzaroth in his season, 
and guiding Arcturus with his sons. Jehovah rides upon the 
wings of the wind, presides in the tempest, speeds the thun- 
ders, hurls the lightning, forms the drops of rain, and pours 
them down in refreshing showers, or congeals them into hail- 
stones and snow. 

God speaks, and dark'ning clouds the sky ascend; 
In night, the heav'ns are veiled; in fearful sport, 
Fork'd lightnings dart, and pealing thunders roll. 
Touc'tid mountains smoke ; the ocean heaves, and waves 
In angry surges rise, — earth rocks and shakes, 
To centre shakes. Beneath, above, around, 
Appear the harbingers of greater wrath ; 
On all, dismay and consternation seize. 
Again God speaks ; dense darkness flies apace, 
The lightnings cease, the thunders die, the sky 
Is seen, the sea is calm'd, the earth is still'd, 
Man's fears depart, and all is peace. 

In the moral world, the Almighty must be recognized in 
every event. Nothing occurs without his superintending 
presence. 

Every object is made by God, and for himself. "Thou art 
worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and power ; for 
thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and 
were created." His own glory is kept in view, as certainly 
when he forms a crystal, as when he makes a planet ; is as 
actually before him when he gives life to an insect, as when 



56 zion's pathway. 

he creates a soul. The methods by which the Deity reveals 
himself are his works, his providence, and his word. Correct 
and enlarged views of him can be attained only by careful 
attention to all these modes of development. 

"Ye curious minds, who roam abroad, 

And trace creation's wonders o'er, 
Confess the footsteps of the God ; — 

Bow down before him and adore." 

The works of nature, the manifestations of providence, the 
law on the heart, and the Bible, like the four rivers which 
went out of Eden, all proceed from one source. 

History presents many startling examples of superstition 
and bigotry, which were legitimate results of a neglect to 
study the works, at least of not recognizing God in the works, 
of nature. For example, in the sixteenth century Galileo 
was a victim of the severest persecution, on account of dis- 
coveries made by him in the science of astronomy. " When 
past the age of threescore and ten years, he was obliged by 
the priests, standing on his knees over the Bible, to disclaim 
belief in a system to which he had devoted his days, and 
which had filled his soul with the most exalted conceptions of 
nature, and its divine Author. For maintaining that the earth 
turns on its axis, he was condemned, by a board of cardinals, 
to perpetual imprisonment.'" Bacon led the way to better 
times. After him arose Newton, and made important discov- 
eries. Arose, did I say ? He was raised up, to teach the 
world that the God of the Bible and the God of nature are 
the same. The following couplet is extravagant; yet sug- 
gestive of an important truth. 

" Nature, and nature's laws, were sunk in night, 
God said, Let Newton be, and all was light." 

Instead of the mere coelum aptum stellis of the ancients, we 
now see in every star a world, or a sun, about which worlds 



THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. 57 

revolve. Newton disputed the claim of the infidel to the ma- 
terial universe ; nay, he wrested it from impious hands. The 
infidel must now, in order to defend his own system, prove not 
true, what Newton has shown to be unquestionable truth. 
But, alas, for the infidel ! even the stars, in their courses, fight 
against him. 

The Bible may, in a sense, be regarded as a key to what is 
recorded in Nature l or, to change the figure, it is the thread 
which guides through the labyrinth of Nature's works. The 
infidel rejects the key, how then can he understandingly in- 
vestigate the works of Nature ? He refuses to be guided by 
the thread, why should he not be lost and bewildered in the 
maze ? The Christian has the key, he should enter in and 
explore the arcana of Nature, for God is there ; he should 
trace the windings of the labyrinth, for Jehovah constructed 
it. All departments of nature should be investigated, for 
they all show us the wonder-working God. 

"Above — below — where'er I gaze, 

Thy guiding finger, Lord, I view, 
Traced in the midnight planet's blaze, 

Or glistening in the morning dew; 
Whate'er is beautiful or fair, 
Is but thine own reflection there." 

But I must invite the reader to commune a while with him- 
self, for he has within many tokens of the everywhere present 
God. Long has the stupid atheist speculated without re- 
serve on the origin, the nature, and the destiny of the hu- 
man race. In his estimation, man had no higher parentage 
than the lowest order of animals ; indeed, was, as some have 
taught, once a quadruped. As for mind, he has none, distinct 
from matter, and thoughts are the result of a material or- 
ganization. Had man, physiologically and intellectually, been 
made a study, the infidel, if not himself convinced of the di- 
vine origin of our race, might have less boldly ridiculed the 



58 zion's pathway. 

admiration of those who contemplate the peculiar combination 
of matter and mind, which constitute human beings, and the 
christian would less frequently have forgotten that man is 
the noblest work of God on the earth ; nor would he as now, 
seemingly, more than half adopt the atheist's view. 

However ineffectual the attempt may be, fully to unravel 
the inexplicable mysteries of our nature, to leave it wholly 
unexplored is to neglect an important field of research. — 
Though but an atom in the aggregate of nature, man is an 
atom of no ordinary value. As a sentient being, he holds an 
intimate relation to the radiant centre of the universe ; as a 
moral, accountable agent, he has interests, which are as en- 
during as the throne of God, and as solemn as eternity*. The 
material and mental elements of our existence are so combined, 
as to make a human being a fit apparatus for exhibiting the 
most sublime, as well as the most difficult experiments that 
are performed in the laboratory of Nature. None, but the 
great Operator himself, could have so skilfully adjusted the 
instrument to the end. Matter, moulded by the forming fin- 
gers of the Deity, receives into all its complicated parts, a liv- 
ing, acting, and intelligent soul, and the two seem to unite 
with a more than chemical exactness, yet remain distinct, un- 
changed by the union. 

The more carefully we scrutinize the structure of the hu- 
man body, the clearer is the evidence that God formed it, and 
that none but he could have formed it. To test the truth of 
this assertion, stand by the anatomist, while, by a careful dis- 
section, he unfolds a human frame. Nicely separating part 
from part, he exhibits the tissues and muscles, the cords and 
nerves, together with the vital properties and functions of 
each. Trace, also, the operations of the heart, with its auri- 
cles and ventricles, dilations and contractions, propelling the 
blood by a twofold circulation through the system. Follow 
the vital fluid, as it passes from the heart into the arteries, 



THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. 59 

from the arteries into the capillaries, from the capillaries into 
the veins, and back in these to the heart, whence it came. — 
Analyze it ; each drop is composed of globules, each globule 
of molecules, each molecule contains numberless animalcules, 
and each animalcule was formed, and is sustained, by that 
Being who made and upholds the universe. With microscopic 
attention examine the eye, with its " score of contingencies." 
That toilet mirror is not uselessly employed, in which is con- 
templated this chief-d'oeuvre of the divine Artificer. 

In intellect, man still bears the impress of his Maker. Pos- 
sessed of exalted powers, he can employ them on the varied 
objects of thought, which come before him. He fathoms the 
ocean, and analyzes the earth ; measures the heavens, and 
numbers the stars. Ranging the universe, he can follow the 
chain which links revolving world to world, in the several sys- 
tems, and which binds these systems to the throne of God. — 
Intellect is probably capacitated for endless progression. Who 
can say but the child may yet arrive higher in the scale of 
knowledge than has as yet the most talented angel ? As a 
moral being, too, man is doubtless capable of endless progres- 
sion. Though having once lost, he may regain the image of 
his God. It is possible for him to dwell eternally in the pres- 
ence of his Creator, and participate in those joys which are 
forevermore. 



god is LOVE. 

Thus inspiration teaches; the fact is recorded by infalli- 
bility, and can be reasonably questioned neither in hell, earth, 
or heaven. As a fact certain, the statement, should be every- 
where received. Brief is the expression, but comprehensive ; 
it flowed naturally from the pen of the sacred writer, and it 
finds easy utterance by human lips. So few letters never 



60 zion's pathway. 

comprehended greater meaning. No three words of time 
can unfold more the nature of Him inhabiting eternity. — 
What, beyond this, could angelic forms of speech communi- 
cate in three syllables ? 

God is Love. Such he is immutably. Let thought go back 
to the utmost distance conceivable ; let it penetrate those eter- 
nal ages, in which Jehovah dwelt alone ; then God was love. 
Imagination, stretch thy tireless wings down the vista of future, 
endless years ; see the infinite " I Am," amid the accumulated 
glories of his kingdom ; hear the anthems breaking from myr- 
iads, that no angel can number ; then and there it is as true 
as now, God is love. The fact, so briefly expressed, is per- 
petual, embracing the entireness of the Divine existence.— 
God was love ; he is love, and he will be love. 

The Fact viewed with reference to the Past. 

God was love, when he framed the arches of heaven, and 
called into being those everlasting hills, bounding the horizon 
of the holy world. He was love, when he peopled that realm 
of his empire with angels and archangels, cherubim and ser- 
aphim. God was love, when he planned and perfected the 
walls of hell ; and during every step of the progress in the 
erection of the prison of the universe. God was love, so 
long as holy intelligences were harmonious in his praise ; and 
he was love, when somewhere, amid the royal ranks, a note 
of discord was struck. God was love, when, by omnipotent 
energy, he banished from abodes of happiness the rebel spirits, 
and bound them in everlasting chains. 

God was love, when he called out of chaos this goodly orb, 
the earth, making it a paradise fit for angels, and placing upon 
it man, formed in the image of the Maker. God was love, 
while the human pair lived happy in the blissful bowers of 
Eden. He was love, amid the mournful events that constitute 



THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. 61 

the fall and the expulsion of the first sinners. God was love, 
when he smiled upon the offering of Abel, and rejected that 
of Cain. He was love, when listening to the cry of the first 
martyr's blood, as it was heard ascending from the ground ; 
nor was he otherwise, while placing the reprobate's mark on 
the first murderer. The Most High was love, during the 
hundreds of years in which sin reigned before the flood ; he 
was the same, when he opened the windows of heaven, broke 
up the fountains of the great deep, and deluged this globe. — 
Jehovah was love, on that memorable occasion, when he lis- 
tened to the petitions of Abraham for the guilty cities ; nor 
was he otherwise, when he poured fire upon those same cities 
and consumed them. He was love, when he sent angels to 
rescue Lot. and flames to consume the Sodomites ; when he 
secured the deliverance of two daughters, and converted their 
mother into a pillar of salt. The Lord was love, in the ten- 
fold inflictions upon Pharaoh, and in the entire overthrow of 
that persecutor's army. A God of love prepared a dry chan- 
nel through the sea for one people, and brought back the flood 
upon another. He was love, when he called waters from the 
rock, and serpents from their dens ; when he rained manna 
from the skies, and scattered pestilence in the wind ; when he 
darted his lightning upon the offerers of strange fire, and 
when he filled the tabernacle with his glory. That Being was 
love, who destroyed the Canaanites, and planted in Palestine 
the posterity of Jacob. God was love, when he poured his 
blessings upon the twelve tribes ; nor was he otherwise, when, 
by successive judgments, he scattered them through all the 
nations. He was love, during all the time in which Jerusalem 
received his protection, and when he let in upon its sacredness 
hordes of heathen. God was love, when, from the opening 
heavens, he said, " This is my beloved Son, in whom I am 
well pleased ; " nor was he different, when that same Son ex- 
claimed, amid the agonies of crucifixion, " My God, my God, 
6 






62 zion's pathway. 

why hast thou forsaken me ! " Love characterized Jehovah 
during that period of unparalleled prosperity, enjoyed by the 
primitive church ; also while she sat subsequently for ages 
in sackcloth. 

With reference to the Present. 

God is love, when the sky is clear, and when it is veiled in 
tempestuous clouds ; when the fertilizing showers descend, 
and when hailstones desolate the earth ; when Nature smiles, 
and when she frowns. God is love, while propitious gales 
safely waft the richly-freighted vessel ; nor is he otherwise, 
when he sinks the same in the waves. In the overturnings 
of the nations, the Lord is love. He elects one people to the 
enjoyment of high privileges, and abandons another to per- 
petual desolation ; yet he is love. Now, he sweeps into eter- 
nity thousands by a plague, and now he checks that destroyer. 
Here, he empties a habitation of every occupant, resigning 
at once a father and a mother, with their children, to places 
in the chambers of death ; and there, a family circle remains 
for years unbroken. In one instance, wealth is caused to flow 
in like a flood ; in another, it is swept away as by a tornado. 
The Lord gives life and takes away life. He afflicts or con- 
soles ; sends anguish or assuages grief ; yet in all, he is love. 
Upon one community he pours out his Spirit abundantly ; 
while another, and contiguous, is left in religious dearth. In 
sovereignty, he selects this individual to be a recipient of 
grace, while that is allowed to harden in transgression ; and, 
in so doing, he is love, equally, in each and every case. 

With reference to the Future. 

God will be love, when he shall gather over the earth the 
terrors of the last day. To judgment, the dead of every age, 
and country, and nation, shall be summoned — " not one soul 



THE ATTKIBUTES OF GOD. t>3 

forgot or missing," — and a division of the human family will 
be made for eternity ; this class being banished from the pres- 
ence of Jehovah, and that welcomed into blessedness enduring, 
endless. Still, in these transactions, God will be love; nor 
will he be otherwise, in the distant future, though the smoke 
of the wicked's torment shall ascend up forever and ever.— • 
Such as die impenitent, must be excluded always from heaven ; 
yet God will be love, onward and onward, while ceaseless ages 
pursue their interminable career. 

God is love ; and he is holy, perfectly and perpetually, — 
therefore his love is holy, and can delight only in holiness. 
Impious is the thought, that, because God is love, he can ex- 
ercise complacency in what is sinful. He may compassionate 
the ill- deserving ; this he has done for redemption, purposed 
and performed, shows how the Almighty feels for the sinful, 
yet on probation. But he can have no delight in transgressors, 
who remain such. His very nature necessitates him to repel, 
wholly from him, the lovers of sin ; he cannot fellowship them. 
God is love, and he loves himself supremely; not to do it, 
would prove him erring, for he only is worthy of being loved 
supremely ; and the Holy One could not do an unworthy deed, 
without evidencing that himself does not merit the highest 
homage. Let but one fallen angel, or only one still rebellious 
man be taken into heaven, and all the holy of the universe 
might reasonably regard the act as treason, on the part of the 
Highest, against his own government, and would they not be 
authorized to oppose the unrighteous admittance ? 

God is love ; yet the fact proves nothing in regard to the 
ultimate condition of mankind. In the light of reason, future 
punishment may be as consistent with the character of the 
Almighty, with the perfection of his nature, as is future hap- 
piness. The condition of intelligent, accountable beings, in 
another state of existence, depends upon something besides 
the truth that God is love. Eternal happiness is connected 



64 zion's pathway. 

with holiness. Such is, doubtless, everywhere a fact ; indeed, 
it is not conceivable that a holy agent should be unhappy. — 
Whether, then, those who have lived in time are to be happy 
or not in eternity, can be determined only by a foresight of 
their moral characters in that state of existence. It does not 
follow, that they will there be holy, and, consequently, happy, 
because God is love. Future eternal wretchedness may as 
well consist with this fact in regard to him, as does the amount 
of misery experienced in time. Why should love preclude 
suffering in the future state, any more than it does in the pres- 
ent ? It is a fact that God is love ; nor is it less a fact, that 
mankind endure a variety and constant succession of evils, in 
this probationary scene. The Scriptures also assure us that 
such as die impenitent, will inevitably be subject to never-end- 
ing woes, after the death of the body. 

The relation of this truth to Evangelical Doctrines. 

That God is love, evangelical believers all fully admit. It 
is a truth lying at the foundation of the orthodox system ; and 
that system of doctrines, called Calvinistic, is based upon it. 
According to this scheme, the supreme Being was prompted 
solely by inherent goodness, to give existence to rational crea- 
tures, capable of holiness. It could not add to his own enjoy- 
ment, to bring into being dependent agents ; but it might 
diffuse genuine pleasure through many worlds. Calvinism 
maintains that infinite benevolence has actuated the Deity in 
all his works ; his nature, as love, is never laid aside, is never 
infringed ; yea, love is inscribed everywhere in his dominions. 
A love of holiness, the adherents of this class of doctrines can 
see in all the inflictions beneath which despairing spirits 
writhe. Love created ; love redeemed ; love sanctifies ; love 
saves the saint, and love damns the sinner ; love flows from 
the Triune, diffusing itself in the immensity of his empire, 






THE ATTRIBUTES OP GOD. 65 

for " his whole nature, his will, his works, and his word, are 
love." The punishments of the lost are less tolerable, to 
such as experience them, because they are endured with a 
consciousness that not revenge, but love, decrees them. — 
Damned souls know that heaven's gates were once opened to 
them, and that it was perseverance in sin which caused a God 
of love to debar them forever from his holy kingdom. 

The Use made of it by Errorists. 

Individuals and sects, embracing the most hurtful religious 
errors, declaim much about the love of God. Evidently, how- 
ever, their ideas are confused. On this point, and in regard 
to the entire government of the supreme Ruler, they seem 
utterly destitute of definite views. God is love ; but what 
bearing has the fact on the main positions of heretical systems ? 
He does not, he cannot, approve of their rejecting essential 
truth, and embracing the most pernicious heresies. 

Some degree of reflection and observation, has persuaded 
the writer that those who continually urge the fact, that God 
is love, as a defence of their own erroneous notions in religion, 
are often insincere in their assertions ; they do not themselves 
believe God is love ; for some, perhaps many of the number, 
do not, in heart, receive the sentiment, that there is a God. 
Illustrations of my statement are coming to light. Depend 
upon it, whoever, to oppose the idea of future endless punish- 
ment, insists continually that God is love, a truth which no 
evangelical christian doubts, has not a full persuasion of the 
Divine existence ; probably he is an atheist, at least, atheistic 
in his thoughts and life. 
6* 



66 zion's pathway. 



This Divine Attribute Harmonizes with the Others. 

God is love ; so he is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, 
infinitely wise, and perfectly just. The Almighty can do 
nothing inconsistent with his love, nor can he perform aught 
which clashes with the attribute of justice. He loves right so 
much, that wrong cannot be committed anywhere with im- 
punity. As soon will the ways of God transgress his good- 
ness as his righteousness. Jehovah is a perfect being, and 
the administration of his government challenges the minutest 
inspection from men, angels, and alien spirits. That is the 
true system of theology, which receives God in the greatness 
and entireness of his attributes. Whoever embraces such 
divinity, will exhibit a well-balanced character ; and a chief 
characteristic of the person will be humility. He will rev- 
erence and adore, fear and love the God whom the Bible 
reveals ; being satisfied with all that is made known concern- 
ing both the unity and the trinity of his nature, who is infi- 
nitely above mortals ; yet who condescends to dwell with the 
contrite. No man can know aught, respecting his Creator, 
which that Being has not, in some way, communicated to him ; 
and no true child of God will reject a single fact, that his 
heavenly Father has revealed. Meekly and joyfully does 
such an individual hang on the Divine will. 

God is love ; how happy are they who possess those moral 
requisites, by which they can be embraced in his complacency 
forever ! Angels of light, blessed are ye ! Saints at home, 
beyond the sun, your dwelling is in the bosom of infinite love. 
Probationers, seize the gracious hours allotted you to prepare 
to delight, world without end, in the measureless love of Jeho- 
vah. O ye devouring fires, fanned, eternally fanned by the 
God who declares himself love, shall we become your fuel ? 
Must we be always consuming, never consumed ? Thou Lamb 



THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. 67 

of God, thou manifestation of the Father's love to us ; thou, 
who, by thy death, didst provide reconciliation, sprinkle us 
by thine own atoning blood. Baptizing Spirit, Holy Ghost, 
change our vile natures, that we may delight in the God of 
love, and he in us. Ye penitent and pardoned, ye pilgrims 
for Zion, press onward and upward. Yon gate of glory opens 
into the world where the God of love displays, in cloudless 
brightness, his infinite perfections, enter in and be forever 
blessed. 



WORSHIP GOD. 

It is a well-established fact, that mankind will pay religious 
homage to some being or object. Their conduct, for six thou- 
sand years, is an illustration of the fact. However various 
may be the reasons assigned in accounting for it, of its exist- 
ence, there is unquestionable proof. "We may suppose, that 
the moral nature of man impels him to adore something, and 
that originally his affections, instinctively, were given to the 
Lord his maker. That there is but one being to whom divine 
service should be paid, reason, as -well as revelation, must ad- 
mit. No creature, animate or inanimate, is suitable to be 
regarded as a God. The great scriptural requirement, " Thou 
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all 
thy soul, and with all thy might," commends itself to the can- 
did judgment of every intelligent, accountable agent. The 
one Jehovah is the supreme Being, from whom all things pro- 
ceed ; in whom they exist, and for whom they were created 
and are sustained. His sceptre is universal ; his law is un- 
changeable. The position occupied by the Almighty, entitles 
him to the highest honors his creatures can render. Nor less 
imperious is the claim presented by his character. God is 
great in wisdom. It were impossible for him to be more wise 
than he is. He is also infinitely good ; is love itself. Other- 






68 zion's pathway. 

wise, than in being devoted to his service, men must be un- 
happy. Common prudence suggests the duty of a specific 
regard to one's own weal, present and future. Justice is an 
attribute of the Deity, by which he will punish the neglecters 
of the means whereby themselves may be everlastingly bene- 
fited, and his own glory reflected. 

To worship God, is the perpetual employment of angels, 
and of the spirits of the just made perfect. They never rest 
from the all-engrossing employment of praise. Casting their 
crowns before the throne, they say, "Thou art worthy, O 
Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and power." No moral 
agent can ever be released from the obligation to love God 
with all the heart, and to serve him with every faculty.— 
Never, for a moment, in time, or in eternity, will the com- 
mand, touching the duty, be withdrawn. Hell is no retreat 
from the everywhere-reaching edict, respecting the worship 
of the Most High. Devils will not love the Being by whom 
they were expelled, for sin, from their celestial seats ; yet they 
are under the same law, in their prison, that ruled them when 
they were spirits of light. Men may be lost to help and to 
hope, but they cannot go beyond the reach of the Divine com- 
mand. Nor shall a rational creature ever be able to present 
a justifiable excuse for not complying with it. Those con- 
demned at the bar of the Judge, will find conscience and rea- 
son approving endlessly that verdict. 

Ye, that w r ould not experience, eternally, the dreadful con- 
sequences, following the refusal to worship the Most High, 
make his service your daily employment. Bow before this 
universal King. Give him the heart, and to him make a con- 
secration of your all. Let your souls no longer be degraded, 
by giving to earthly objects the affections due only to him 
whose dominion is everlasting. Surmount, in your aspirations, 
these terrestrial attractions. Behold that spotless throne of 
the Deity, and become at once a suppliant before it ; that you 



ATHEISM. 69 

may now, and in ceaseless ages, through the merits of the 
Mediator, rejoice in the presence of him who sits upon it. 



ATHEISM. 

Evidence of the existence of an all-wise, omnipotent, and 
infinitely benevolent Being, is clear and full. It is difficult to 
conceive how proof, in regard to any question, could be more 
direct and comprehensive. Hence, it is manifest that the doc- 
trine, that there is a supreme Ruler in the universe, the crea- 
tor and upholder of all things, cannot be denied by any rational 
creature, unless his intellect is strangely disordered, or his 
moral nature most dreadfully debased. To assert, there is no 
God, indicates the direst stupidity, or the height of arrogance. 
No finite being can know there is not a God ; " because there 
cannot, possibly, be conceived any demonstration of that nega- 
tive proposition." On the supposition, that we are unable to 
prove his existence, it does not follow that none exists. We 
must know all things, in order to he sure there is no God. He 
may be somewhere, if he be not everywhere. Non-existence, in 
respect to him, cannot he proved, should it appear probable. 

Yet, there are some persons, having the external appear- 
ance of human beings, who deny the existence of a God. — 
These are called atheists ; and the appellation is derived from 
the Greek letter a, negative, and the word Qebg, God, which, 
in their compound state, mean without a God. As no man 
disbelieves in the Divine existence for want of proof, it is 
natural to inquire whence the origin of atheism. How is it 
that a doctrine so important, and so well supported, is re- 
jected ? 

A booh of many leaves, on each of which is the stamp of 
its superhuman origin, states, that " The fool hath said in his 
heart, there is no God." From this we infer, that the heart 



70 zion's pathway. 

is the source of atheistic sentiments, and that it is only the 
fool's heart which can cherish them in their incipient state. 
Much more is it true, that none other can ever give them 
birth. An old writer remarks, that " no man will say, there 
is no God, till he is so hardened in sin, that it becomes his 
interest that there should be none, to call him to account." — 
Some eminent divine has observed, that "he who denies the 
Divine existence, renounces, by that very act, his own human- 
ity, falls out of the rank of rational beings, and covets com- 
munity and fellowship with brutes." None but fools can 
assert there is no God. " For the invisible things of him, 
from the creation of the world, are clearly seen, being under- 
stood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and 
Godhead ; so that they are without excuse." 

The atheist proclaims himself a fool, and every object in 
nature attests the truth of his proclamation. " As to the be- 
ing of a God, where the least pretence to reason is admitted, 
it must be for ever indisputable." His existence no more ad- 
mits of a candid doubt, than does our own. 

Theories of Atheists. 

As the world, with its vast variety of beings and objects, 
is in existence, some account of its origin and history is to be 
expected from atheists ; and since their system, " in all its 
forms, is a specimen of the most absolute credulity," we must 
not be surprised at any absurdities broached by them in de- 
fence of their baseless positions. They have presented three 
great schemes ; by one of which they attempt to account for 
the origin of all creatures. The first is, "that things have 
existed in an eternal series ; " the second, " that their exist- 
ence is casual;" the third, "that all distinct or separate 
beings owe their existence to the powers and operations of 
matter r Neither of these has a particle of proof in its favor ; 



ATHEISM. 71 

"each is refuted by direct demonstration; they are unan- 
swerably proved to he not only false, but impossible." 

Atheists ascribe the highest attributes to matter ; not con- 
sidering that it is out of their power to prove its existence. 
"I myself believe, indeed, that it exists, but I also know that its 
existence cannot be proved." * These arrogant assumers main- 
tain that creation is no great affair ; while to Aristotle, whose 
powers of mind were far greater than theirs, creation itself 
" appeared too difficult a work for even God himself to per- 
form it." Whatever be the theory propounded by atheists, it 
is marked by a reckless disregard of the plainest principles of 
reason and common sense. 

The Object of Atheists. 

By their zealous efforts in maintaining certain characteristic 
dogmas, it is evident, that they desire to convince all men, — 
" that the soul is material and mortal ; Christianity an impos- 
ture ; the Scriptures a forgery ; the worship of God super- 
stition; hell a fable, and heaven a dream; our life without 
providence, and our death without hope." Whoever carefully 
examines into its nature will not doubt, that "the proper, 
natural, and necessary influence of atheism, is to contract and 
render grovelling the views ; to corrupt the character, and to 
deform the life of man." 

To all, not yet plunged into this abyss, but who may be in 
danger of its artifices, we say, in the language of an able de- 
fender of truth, " Settle it, therefore, in your minds, as a 
maxim never to be effaced or forgotten, that atheism is an in- 
human, bloody, ferocious system, equally hostile to every use- 
ful restraint, and to every virtuous affection ; that, leaving 
nothing above us to excite awe, nor around us to awaken ten- 

* Dr. Dwight. 



72 zion's pathway. 

derness, it wages war with heaven and with earth ; its first 
object is to dethrone God, its next, to destroy man." Such is 
thy aim, thou denier of the existence of him who made thee 
and sustains thee ! O wert thou not so puny, naught of ex- 
cellence could stand before thee ! Down upon thy face in 
shame ! Insult creation no more by gazing upon it ! 



" Traitor to all existence, to all life ! 
Soul-suicide ! Determined foe of being ! 
Intended murderer of God, Most High ! " 






JESUS CHEIST. 



Christ was a Man. 



He is in the Scriptures designated as a man. " For there 
is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man 
Christ Jesus." 1 Tim. 2:5. He is said to have come in the 
likeness of sinful flesh ; that is, in human nature. Romans, 
8 : 3. And to be of the seed of David. Romans, 1:3. It 
is also stated that he suffered in the flesh. 1 Peter, 3 : 18. — 
He styles himself, the Son of Man, by which term he teaches, 
that he possesses true human nature. There are "no less 
than seventy-one instances, in which Christ is called Son 
of man ; in sixty-seven of these, the title is given by himself; 
once by Daniel, once by Stephen, and twice by John, in the 
Revelation." * 

All the evangelists, in recording the doings of Christ, em- 
ploy language that implies he was really a man ; though it 
does not teach that he was no more than a mere man. They 
speak of him as having the senses of a man. He saw with 
such eyes as mankind in general possess ; and heard as they 
hear. All the properties of a human being were his. He 
was conscious of hunger and of thirst ; he ate and drank ; was 
wearied by toil, and refreshed by food and repose. He felt 
pain, and naturally shrunk from enduring it. The suscepti- 
bilities of a man were as manifestly in him as in any mere 



* Dr. Dwight. 



74 zion's pathway. 

man. With the afflicted he wept ; and he rejoiced with such 
as were in possession of real joy. The developments of his 
mind were, in general, according to the laws regulating mental 
operations in other persons. Should it be objected, that, in 
the commencement of his earthly existence, a marked con- 
trast appears between him and other human beings ; the reply 
is, that in this respect he differs no more from the human fam- 
ily, than did the original father of the race ; yet Adam was 
as truly a man as has been any individual of his posterity. 
Christ very early gave proof of possessing a real human na- 
ture. He increased in stature, and in mental power, as other 
children do ; except, in the latter respect, his progress was 
more rapid and remarkable than theirs. In the words of an- 
other, " the history of his birth, life, and death, is unanswer- 
able proof that Christ was man ; he was born, lived, and died, 
essentially in the same manner as other men ; he increased in 
wisdom as well as in stature ; wrought with his hands ; ate, 
drank, slept ; suffered on the cross, gave up the ghost, and 
was buried, in the same manner as other men." 

Christ was more than a Man. 

No one can read his life, and be in doubt in regard to the 
fact. It is as evident that he was far superior to any other 
man, as that he was a real man. His existence, prior to his 
appearing on earth, is most clearly asserted in the sacred vol- 
ume. As, many of the passages relating to this point bear 
directly on another position, subsequently to be considered, 
they will not all here be quoted at length. 

The opening verses in the gospel, as presented by John, 
explicitly teach the doctrine of Christ's preexistence. In the 
writings of the same evangelist, 17 : 5, is the following: "And 
now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the 
glory which I had with thee before the world was." Jesus 



JESUS CHRIST. 75 

speaks of himself as having come down from heaven. "And 
no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down 
from heaven." John, 3 : 13. " For I came down from heaven, 
not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." 6 : 
38. " What, and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where 
he was before ? " 6 : 62. " Let this mind be in you, which 
was also in Christ Jesus ; who, being in the form of God, 
thought it not robbery to be equal with God." Phil. 2 : 5, 6. 
He is represented as passing from a higher to a lower con- 
dition, when he entered this world. " The Word was made 
flesh, and dwelt among us." John, 1 : 14. "And took upon 
him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of 
men. Phil. 2:7. " For ye know the grace of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he 
became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." 2 
Cor. 8 : 9. Such representations of God's infallible Book, 
teach, without reserve, that he who appeared as the man of 
sorrows on earth, had been highly exalted before he came 
among mortals. He was in great dignity, and surrounded 
with glory such as the earth never witnesses ; but he divested 
himself of it. Dwelling originally far above human habita- 
tions, he came down and made his abode with man. He hum- 
bled himself. Most clearly does the history, which shows us 
that he was possessed of a nature really human, also assure 
us that he had another nature far more elevated. 

Christ was truly God. 

It must be conceded by all, that nothing is known determi- 
native respecting this point, except what is communicated by 
a special revelation. Not a ray of light beams from any other 
source ; no other oracle utters a response to our interrogato- 
ries. The office of reason here consists in discovering the 
genuine import of the Scripture teachings in regard to him. 



76 zion's pathway. 



The Scriptures call Christ God. 

While the Divine oracles leave not the least room for 
doubt, that he was truly man, he is designated by the very 
titles which are applied to the Father. "In the beginning 
was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word 
was God." John, 1 : 1. That, by Word, in this connection* 
Christ is meant, seems very manifest, from the fourteenth 
verse of the same chapter. "And the Word was made flesh, 
and dwelt among us." What candid mind can harbor a doubt 
in regard to the import of this passage? "And we are in 
him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the 
true God, and eternal life." 1 John, 5 : 20. "Whose are the 
fathers, and of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, 
who is over all, God blessed forever." Romans, 9:5. " But 
unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and 
ever." Heb. 1 : 8. 

The Scriptures ascribe Eternal Existence to Christ. 

He was in the beginning. When nothing created had be- 
gun to exist, he then had a being. His own express declara- 
tions are in point. " Before Abraham was, I am." The " I 
Am" here corresponds with that in Exodus, 3 : 14. "Thus 
shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me 
unto you." In the manifestation made to the apostle John, 
on the isle of Patmos, a voice said, " I am Alpha and Omega, 
the beginning and the end, the first and the last." Rev. 22 : 
13. These, undoubtedly, are the words of Christ, and we 
find the Most High employing similar phraseology in refer- 
ence to himself. " Thus saith the Lord, the king of Israel, 
and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts ; I am the first, and I 
am the last ; and besides me there is no God." Isa. 44 : 6. 



JESUS CHRIST. 77 



Almighty Power is attributed to Christ. 

" For our conversation is in heaven ; from whence also we 
look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ ; who shall change 
our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious 
body, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue 
all things unto himself." Phil. 3 : 20, 21. "All things were 
made by him ; and without him was not any thing made that 
was made." John, 1:3. He is said to uphold all things by 
the word of his power. Heb. 1 : 3. He asserts, that he has 
power to lay down his own life, and to take it again. — 
We are taught, by authority unquestionable, that, in sev- 
eral instances, he actually raised the dead ; and giving life is 
a prerogative peculiar to God ; for creative power can belong 
to no finite agent. Yet Christ was the Creator of the earth, 
and of the heavens. The connection will not permit us to 
doubt that the following averment refers to him. " And thou, 
Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundations of the 
earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands." 
Heb. 1 : 10. 

Christ is represented as Omniscient. 

" He knew all men, and needed not that any should testify 
of man, for he knew what was in man." John, 2 : 24, 25. 
" Lord, thou knowest all things." John, 21:17. This prayer, 
" Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men," was evi- 
dently offered to Christ. Acts, 1 : 24. It is said, that he 
will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make 
manifest the counsels of the heart. 1 Cor. 4 : 5. Further- 
more, we are taught, that he will judge the world at the last 
day, rendering to every man according to his works. How 
can this service be performed by the Son of God, if he do not 
7* 



78 zion's pathway. 

know all things ? He is designated as the Judge ; and, if he 
be the Judge, in order to execute justice, he must be omni- 
scient. Now, if Christ be omniscient, then he possesses one 
of the attributes of the infinite God ; if one, why not all ? 
Are they not inseparable and incommunicable? 

The Scriptures teach us that Christ is Omnipresent. 

The doctrine is presented by himself in the following pas- 
sages. " For where two or three are gathered together in 
my name, there am I in the midst of them." Matt. 18 : 20. 
Should there be such little companies scattered over the entire 
globe, at the same time, in each Jesus would be present. 
" Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.' 
28 : 20. The true ministers of Jesus know the import of this 
declaration on the part of their Master. He is with them in 
every place. 

Divine Honors are given to Christ. 

It is written, "Let all the angels of God worship him." 
Heb. 1:6. Likewise it is predicted, that the universe of 
created beings shall do him homage, and crown him Lord of 
all. The Saviour explicitly states, "That all men should 
honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that hon- 
oreth not the Son, honoreth not the Father which hath sent 
him." The apostles addressed prayers to Jesus, after his as- 
cension. To him, the dying Stephen presented this petition, 
" Lord Jesus receive my spirit." The request of Paul, that the 
thorn in his own flesh might be removed, was directed to him. 
Frequently, the Father and the Son are unitedly addressed, 
" Now God himself, and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, 
direct our way unto you." 1 Thess. 3: 11. "Peace from 
God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Cor. 



JESUS CHRIST. 79 

1 : 3. How may we regard the following ? " And I beheld, 
and heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, 
and the beasts, and the elders : and the number of them was 
ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands ; 
saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain 
to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and 
honor, and glory, and blessing." Rev. 5 : 11, 12. 

Well has a foreign divine remarked, " If Jesus Christ be 
not God, the Bible was framed to deceive. The writers must 
have intended to exalt their master at the expense of truth." 

Reader, what will you do with Jesus ? Can you say other- 
wise than did Thomas : " My Lord and my God ? " Beware 
how you esteem him, who came in the form of a servant, but 
was the brightness of the Father's glory and the express 
image of his person. By some he is regarded as a mere 
man ; others allow him a grade a little above simple human- 
ity ; and a few congratulate themselves that they assign him 
a rank so high, that, in their estimation, he is just as near 
being God as he can be, and yet not actually be God. This 
latter class ought to reflect that between an infinite being and 
one who is not infinite, however exalted the latter may be, 
the distance is infinite. If Jesus Christ be regarded by us, 
as much greater than we are, as he can be and not be God, 
then do we consider him as infinitely less than God ; more- 
over we give him a position in the universe infinitely less 
exalted than he claimed for himself, and which the Scrip- 
tures attribute to him. 

Christ's temptation. 

At the age appointed by law, for the sons of Levi to enter 
upon their sacred office, Jesus was initiated into his public 
ministry — a priest after the order of Melchisedec. Having 
received the consecrating water upon his head, and being 



80 zion's pathway. 

anointed by the Holy Spirit, also being introduced by a voice 
from the open heavens, to the multitudes who attended his 
forerunner, it were natural to suppose, that he would at once 
begin his labors as the instructor of men. But instead of his 
going forth to preach, we see him hastening into a wilderness, 
being led thither by the Spirit. Three evangelists record the 
proceeding, and inform us that the design was, that he should 
be tempted of the devil. Forty days and as many nights, he 
fasted ; in them, " he did eat nothing." Comparing the accounts 
of the sacred writers, — their phraseology varying a little — it 
would seem that the Saviour was variously tempted during 
the time definitely stated, and, that afterwards he was assailed 
by three special efforts. The period of fasting having termi- 
nated, Jesus, as man, was feeling the strong demands of hunger? 
when Satan came to him, saying, " if thou be the Son of God, 
command that these stones be made bread." Christ's reply 
was in the terms of inspiration. "It is written, Man shall 
not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth 
out of the mouth of God." His food must be whatever is 
divinely appointed. If bread be given, it must be received ; 
and if that be withheld, the privation must be cheerfully en- 
dured. Let the holy will of heaven rule the body, not less 
than the soul. Prophets were not wont to work miracles to 
gratify their own appetites. Foiled in his first endeavor, the 
adversary attempts another. Jesus is taken to the holy city, 
and placed upon a pinnacle of the temple. In what manner, 
or how far he was conveyed, not the least specific information 
is given. Some suppose that the region of Sinai was the wil- 
derness into which he was led, from his baptism ; others point 
out a dreary tract near the Jordan ; it is infertile, and consists 
of high rocky mountains, "torn and disordered," as if the 
earth had suffered a " great convulsion." Behold, on a lofty 
turret of Jehovah's temple stand the world's Redeemer, and 
the prince of darkness. "With supreme arrogance, the latter 



JESUS CHRIST. 81 

says to the former, " If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself 
down ; for it is written, He shall give his angels charge con- 
cerning thee ; and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest 
at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone." The devil 
knoweth how to quote Scripture ; still, by a leaving out, as in 
the present instance, or by a manifest perversion of an ob- 
vious import, he betrays a malicious intent. Christ knew how 
to meet this second temptation, as well as the first ; in each 
case, his weapon of defence was an arrow from the quiver of 
the Almighty. " Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." 
Another expedient is tried ; from their lofty station, on Jeru- 
salem's admired edifice, Jesus passes to the summit of " an 
exceeding high mountain." We inquire not for the mode of 
removal from the pinnacle to this position ; revelation is not 
careful to gratify curiosity, and a reasonable faith is satisfied 
with the announcement of important facts. Lo, now the devil 
showeth God's beloved Son "all the kingdoms of the world, 
and the glory of them — in a moment of time." There are 
in that section of the oriental world, where our Lord's temp- 
tation occurred, prospects far-reaching ; those from which an 
extensive view of the world, as it then was, may be obtained. 
What was visible to the natural eye, might have been pointed 
out by the artful assailant, and the remainder only described ; 
or it is not unreasonable to conclude, that the evil one had 
permission to exhibit before the Saviour's eye an exact picture 
of the population and wealth of the entire globe. " All these 
things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me ; 
for that is delivered unto me, and to whomsoever I will, I give 
it. If thou, therefore, wilt worship me, all shall be thine.' 
What boldness in uttering falsehoods ! Now, the tempter 
shall be met with merited sternness. " Get thee hence, Sa- 
tan, for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, 
and him only shalt thou serve." Can the ingenuity of the 
arch-fiend invent yet another mode of attack upon the world's 



82 zion's pathway. 

Deliverer ? Must not hell's subtlety pause for awhile ? "We 
read : " Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came 
and ministered unto him." Changed, indeed, is the scene ! 
" In the shame and confusion of a total defeat, the adversary 
of God and man betakes himself to flight, and hides his guilty 
head in the regions of darkness." From above, come 
messengers of kindness ; they gather around him, in whom 
the Father is well pleased. Do they not bear in their arms 
the wearied, the exhausted Jesus ? All that his condition 
required, they tenderly performed ; his struggle is ended. 
Among the habitations of men, the Messiah begins to make 
himself known as the sent of God. 

Yet, shall not we linger a little amid the scenes of his temp- 
tations ? Not, however, that we may fritter away the record, 
but impress it more deeply in our minds, than can be done 
by a hasty perusal, such as we have just made. " Several 
eminent persons, both ancient and modern, have thought that 
a visionary scene, not a real event, is here narrated." Is such 
thy idea, unsophisticated reader of the inspired pages ? — 
Verily I think not. What is this account, but a simple state- 
ment of facts ; not one of which is improbable, much less im- 
possible ? If the simple detail here may be rejected, why 
should it fare better in other parts of the Bible ? Are there 
difficulties, attending this account, which do not exist else- 
where ? Certainly others, not a few, are equally encumbered. 
A revelation from heaven is necessarily, in a measure, myste- 
rious. Shall we reject whatever is at all incomprehensible ? 
Then we become universal skeptics ; no, for skepticism is ut- 
terly incomprehensible. Faith in this account is far more 
rational than is its rejection. Not a statement occurs, in the 
record of the temptation, which shocks human understandings ; 
on the contrary, each statement commends itself to the good 
sense of every candid inquirer for truth. Jesus came as the 
second Adam, in order to repair the ruin occasioned by the 



JESUS CHRIST. 83 

first. It was a yielding to temptation, that overwhelmed the 
race of man, and, at the outset of redemption's work, the 
point must be tried, whether or not he, coming as the Redeem- 
er of the ruined race, can withstand the assaults of that being 
by whose wiles the original parents of the human family were 
ensnared. If the Messiah cannot foil the adversary in the 
commencement of the enterprise, for which heaven was left, 
it will be in vain for him to attempt man's deliverance. " For 
this purpose was the Son of God manifested, that he might 
destroy the works of the devil." Who does not perceive, that 
every movement, in the progress of the temptation, was 
adroitly arranged ? An appeal was first made to the appetite 
of hunger, sharpened by an entire fast of forty days. Christ 
was a man, having all the appetites and passions of our na- 
ture, though free from sin. Thoughts of food, under the cir- 
cumstances named, might affect him as strongly as they would 
any other person, similarly situated. Vanity, and love of dis- 
play were tested, when the Saviour was exhorted to cast him- 
self down from a high point of the temple. Perhaps the devil 
supposed the idea, of appearing to come direct from the skies, 
would strike Jesus favorably. Thousands of people might 
have been, at the moment, thronging about the sacred edifice, 
all of whom were expecting the promised Saviour. Could 
one doubt his arrival, if suddenly he had alighted in their 
midst, from some unknown region above them ? In the final 
effort, that desire for wealth and power, ever so controlling 
among mortals, and by which the devil destroys millions, was 
addressed ; but with no more success than by the preceding 
artifices. 

We see here a fulfilment of a most ancient prophecy; "It 
shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." Before 
us are brought to view several engagements in the great bat- 
tle, predicted when the prince of hell converted the earth into 
an empire of his own ; the fulfilment of which was then far 






84 zion's pathway. 

in the future of time. Reason perceives the importance of 
these transactions, at the very threshhold of Christ's entrance 
upon his mission, even for his sake ; and nothing could be 
more natural, than for Satan to wish to resist the beginnings 
of the overthrow of his own empire. What a moment of 
everlasting interest was that, in which the tempter said : " If 
thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made 
bread." Intensely anxious for the result, holy angels hovered 
over the place ; and demons, in myriads, were hoping and 
fearing in respect to the issue. The hallowed throng, who 
came rushing from the skies, to celebrate Immanuel's birth, 
perhaps now anxiously wait to strike anew their harps of 
praise, or to perform the dirge of the Redeemer lost, and of 
the world sealed up to remediless despair. Silence, profound, 
reigns in all their ranks; but hark, the response of Jesus, 
" Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that 
proceedeth out of the mouth of God." 

" Lo, the angelic host rejoices ; 
Heavenly hallelujahs rise." 

Perhaps more of importance was centred in the scenes of 
Satan's first bold assaults on the Messiah, than in any other 
since the dawn of human existence. Hell's champion was 
completely resisted in each of his well-constructed schemes. 
Mortified, he must have been, to rehearse, when returned, his 
own failures. His hope of future success surely became dim ; 
though he is set upon wearying even those who, he is assured, 
cannot be destroyed by him. 

This wilderness struggle may be regarded as an essential 
element in the purpose of God, concerning the Messiah. An 
atonement was the chief event to be accomplished; yet there 
were many other subordinate ones. " For we have not an 
high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our 
infirmities ; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet 



JESUS CHRIST. 85 

without sin." Three scenes of peculiar distress marked the 
history of the meek Redeemer, whose whole career was sor- 
rowful. One was his struggle in the desert with Satan ; an- 
other, the agony in Gethsemane ; and the last, his ignominious 
death, by crucifixion. Christ is not merely a Saviour; he 
helps the harassed. " For in that he himself hath suffered, 
being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted." 
Whatever are the efforts of their adversary, the disciples of 
Jesus may hear him saying, "Be of good cheer." Relying 
on him,-— 

" A feeble saint shall win the day ; 
Tho' death and hell obstruct the way." 

In his temptation, the Saviour has left an example for all 
who would inherit the promises. They are taught how to 
repel attacks. Weapons employed by him, are in their 
power. He fasted and prayed, and wielded "the sword of 
the Spirit, which is the word of God." Resist, ye heirs of 
light, the devil with these means, and he will depart from you. 
Let every renewed attempt be met in a like manner, and equal 
success shall ensue. But ye must not allow the least yielding 
to the temptations of Satan. Plausible are many of his sug- 
gestions ; he can allure and deceive ; millions are dazzled and 
destroyed by his arts, and he zealously seeketh your souls. 

Christ's transfiguration. 

Some time prior, and, in certain respects, preparatory to 
the bloody scenes of Calvary, occurred the event designated 
in the above caption. The import of the term employed, is 
developed by the inspired narrative. With a select company 
of his disciples, Jesus ascended a high mountain, which, ac- 
cording to tradition, was Tabor, in Galilee, rising from the 
great plain of Esdraelon ; but, according to modern investi- 
8 



86 zion's pathway. 

gation, it could not have been Tabor. Inspiration has wisely 
left us unacquainted with the exact locality. God graciously 
guards us against an idolatrous respect for mere places, how- 
ever precious are the scriptural associations connected with 
them. He, who was the subject of the sublime transforma- 
tion, foreknew and predicted its nearness, six days before its 
arrival, in the following words : " Verily I say unto you, there 
be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they 
see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." 

One express object of going into the mountain, was prayer. 
Three sacred writers inform us, that he took with him Peter, 
James, and John; and Luke states that a special motive was 
as just suggested. Behold the man of sorrows, attended by 
certain of his chosen, far removed from the excitements of 
the world, engaged in devout addresses to the Father ; lo, his 
face shines as the sun, and his garments are pure as the light, 
"so as no fuller on earth can white them." And now, two 
messengers, from the celestial realms, join the retired band. 
Who are they ? Moses and Elijah ; men, than whom none 
were ever more renowned in the church. The first, known as 
the most distinguished of lawgivers ; the second, preeminent 
among the prophets of Jehovah. Both dispensations there, 
and everywhere, meet in Christ. What is the theme on which 
these envoys from the skies converse ? Nothing less than the 
approaching sufferings of the transfigured one. They "ap- 
peared in glory, and spake of his decease, which he should 
accomplish at Jerusalem." Expiation for human guilt, by the 
dying of God's Son, was, and is, and must forever be, the 
greatest of all topics among the redeemed. Coming from the 
blessedness secured by atoning blood, these saints, of ancient 
days, hold a conference concerning Christ's sacrificial death. 
When the ransomed of the Lord, from all nations and gene- 
rations, shall have been gathered into the presence of their 
Redeemer, they will speak of his decease, which he did 



JESUS CHRIST. 87 

" accomplish at Jerusalem." The topic shall never tire, nor 
its interest in the least abate, as endless ages speed their ever 
onward course. 

Alas, these clogs of clay ! While Jesus is transfigured ; 
while Moses and Elijah, glowing with heavenly effulgence, 
are communing with him, Peter and his companions are 
" heavy with sleep." Tedious may have been the toils of the 
preceding day ; wearisome the ascent to their present position ; 
and perhaps it was past the noon of night, when they sunk 
into slumber. They lost much, while locked in unconscious- 
ness, but " when they were awake, they saw his glory, and 
the two men that stood with him." Visions of the Lamb, 
however bright, avail nothing to the sleeping. How great is 
thy daily loss, thou dull disciple ! Thy Lord is transfigured 
before thee, and thou knowest not the fact. Messengers from 
the third heavens hover about thee, and thou heedest them 
not. Awake, and behold the lustre of the Messiah. " It is 
good for us to be here," says Peter, with characteristic ani- 
mation. Yes, blessed are all they, who dwell amid the beams 
of Christ's brightness, and gaze thereon with purified sight. 
But that ecstasy of the apostle, so natural and just, overleaps 
due bounds ; and yet it submits to the will of his divine Mas- 
ter. " If thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles ; one 
for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias." " For he 
wist not what to say ; " or, " not knowing what he said." — 
Silence is often more becoming than the wisest forms of 
speech that the holiest on earth can command. What Peter 
thus confusedly uttered, is permitted to pass without a reply. 
It neither helps nor hinders the wonders of the hour. — 
" While he thus spake, there came a cloud and overshadowed 
them," which filled all the disciples with terror. This was 
not a dark and foreboding cloud, as were those in which Jeho- 
vah veiled himself, while he descended upon Sinai, but one of 
brightness. While all are enveloped amid its splendor, the 



88 zion's pathway. 

lawgiver and the prophet depart ; and a voice proceeds from 
the cloud, proclaiming, " This is my beloved Son, in whom I 
am well pleased ; hear ye him." Overwhelmed by the sound, 
the disciples fall upon their faces, but Jesus draws nigh and 
touches them, saying, " Arise, and be not afraid." Now the 
transfiguration is passed ; lifting up their eyes, they see no one, 
save him speaking. Back to their immortal bliss have gone 
the saints, who graced the scene by their presence ; vanished 
is the overshadowing cloud ; changed again, to its wonted form, 
is the face of Jesus ; no longer are his garments in white- 
ness, as snow ; the Master descends with the select company 
that went with him, charging them, as they come down, to 
reveal the vision to no man, " until the Son of man be risen 
again from the dead." On what account it would be unlawful 
to publish it before that event, except his own prohibition, 
he did not explain. Doubtless, the great Author of redemp- 
tion proceeded always by a plan, in which each part illustrated 
some other. This scene, in its own place, would subserve a 
most valuable end. We find Peter subsequently employing 
it. " For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, 
when we made known unto you the power and coming of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his majesty. — 
For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when 
there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This 
is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice, 
which came from heaven, we heard, when we were with him 
in the holy mount." 2 Pet. 1 : 16 — 18. 

Brief is the narrative of our Lord's transfiguration. — 
Gladly would we peruse a more extended account. For what 
there is, however, we are grateful. It is comforting, thus to 
behold the gleamings, not only of the Redeemer's form, as he 
was to be, and now is, but also to enjoy a glimpse of the saints 
in their heavenly condition. Precious are the realities of the 
scene, as they are recorded by the evangelist. Away from a 



JESUS CHRIST. 89 

contemplation of such sacredness, ye who cherish skeptical 
thoughts ! Too holy is the place of transfiguration for your 
reckless steps. Your cold hearts can have no sympathy with 
Jesus at any time ; certainly not when his face shines as the 
sun, and his raiment is white as snow. Come not near ; touch 
not the mount ! Indulge, if ye will, the impious thought, that 
it was all a delusion — a dream ! Say, if ye must, that no reli- 
ance is to be placed on the sacred epitome of that event ! — 
The believer knows it is true; that it cannot be otherwise, is 
morally certain. We will not deny that we are constrained 
to weep at the impiety of those, who would rob the Scriptures 
of their wonders. Verily we are in sadness, for such as can 
be suited with nothing pertaining to Jesus; him poor, they 
despise; him transfigured, they disown. 

Forget not, disciple of Christ, to visit often that summit, 
where Peter found it good to be. But remember, that as 
Jesus went up to pray, and there poured out his soul in sup- 
plications, so thou canst ascend only by a like spirit. Much 
intercourse with heaven is requisite, to prepare thee for such 
a vision. Coldness in religion can never fit thee for a com- 
panionship with those who constituted the interest of the place 
and occasion. It was while the Saviour grayed, that he was 
transfigured ; we say not, that his prayer produced the change 
in his person, but that the coincidence deserves remembrance, 
and add, that nothing, besides communion with God, exerts so 
direct and powerful an influence in conforming the disciple to 
the image of his Master. Would we be rapidly approaching 
a state of moral fitness, for the society of the celestial world, 
our days must be devoted to prayer. Holy converse, with the 
Lord, wings the spirit for an upward flight, and seems actually 
to conduct it to the celestial realms. 

Meditate on the state of the heavenly visitants ; they came 
in glory. Once, theirs was a career of trial. Moses, from in*- 
fancy to his silent exit on Nebo, was subject to sorrow. The. 
8* 



90 zion's pathway. 

earthly Canaan, though long sought by him, he did not enter ; 
to the heavenly he was welcomed. His sepulchre, no man 
knoweth unto this day ; yet myriads of angels, and of saints, 
have beheld his spirit. Elijah, too, was fiercely hunted by 
the haters of God, when, as a seer in Israel, he wearied him- 
self in doing good. Unlike the great legislator's, was the de- 
parture from time, of this illustrious prophet. From the 
livery of the skies there came a chariot and horsemen of fire ? 
who bore him, without dying, to heaven. Look upward, ye 
humble subjects of the Mediator's reign, to that high abode, 
whence Moses and Elijah came ; there is now the once trans- 
figured Jesus. On the mount, he presented glimpses of what 
he is forever to be. Lift up your eyes, for there are the 
realms of day eternal, whither your spirits, when released 
from time, shall at once ascend. Behold, where the prophet's 
body was borne ; there, when the slumbers of death, pro- 
longed for ages, shall terminate, your raised tabernacle shall 
live and rejoice, radiant with divine majesty. True, it doth 
not yet appear fully " what we shall be," still, a likeness to 
the Redeemer is revealed to be the lot of the redeemed. — 
" Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun, in the king- 
dom of their Father." Press onward to your mansions and 
your bliss. 

Ah, little do those know of Jesus Christ, who never ascend 
with him the mount of transfiguration. His sojourn on earth, 
that little space excepted, was a scene of obscuration ; through 
its whole extent, abating the few hours just specified, his glory 
was eclipsed. It was but an exhibition of his real person, 
when, amid his devout addresses to the throne above, his en- 
tire aspect became brightness itself. Often did his works and 
his word proclaim him God ; but there the Divinity, the real 
Shekinah, was visible. How much, too, may all, at any time, 
lose, who are spiritually asleep ! Immanuel can be seen only 
by faith's wakeful eye. What does it avail to us, if the Lord 



JESUS CHRIST. 91 

be near, and we are incapacitated to behold his glorious pres- 
ence ? As well may we expect to perceive the orb of day, 
while we are wrapt in slumber, as to behold the Sun of Right- 
eousness, when the soul is locked up in sinful stupor ! Happy 
are they who, if they have slumbered, awake, ere the enraptur- 
ing displays of divine glory have wholly ceased. Oh for such 
manifestations of Christ as will arouse the soul. Short was 
the scene, on the mount of transfiguration ; and brief are the 
bright visions, enjoyed by the Christian, below. However 
high he may have risen, in his secret communing with God, 
he must descend to the warfare of life, and meet, as did his 
Master, sad demonstrations of the power of evil spirits. 



THE AGONY IN GETHSEMANE. 

Come, behold the Saviour in agony. The hour is approach- 
ing for his betrayal ; but ere it fully arrives, he experiences 
sorrow which mortals cannot comprehend. Mark the place, 
the time, and his own exercises. 

Place and Time. 

It is an enclosed parcel of ground, near the holy city, di- 
vided from it by the brook Kedron, and lying either upon or 
at the base of the Mount of Olives, and is called the Garden 
of Gethsemane. Tradition points out the locality ; but that, 
always uncertain, may have erred in this case, as well as in 
others. Jesus was wont to retire at night from the city, when 
his days had been passed therein. He came to this enclosure, 
whither he had oft resorted with his disciples. Doubtless, it 
was favorably situated for meditation and prayer. 

It is night — a memorable night ; more so, in some respects, 
than any other. That, in which occurred Israel's deliverance 
from Egypt, was declared worthy of being much observed. 



92 zion's pathway. 

Many wonderful events have taken place, while darkness has 
veiled the sky. It was at such a time, that Sennacherib's 
army met ruin at the hand of an angel, commissioned by 
Heaven to destroy. Night witnessed Belshazzar's impious 
festival, and also his signal death. But this is the night of 
the betrayal. Amid its hours occurred the strange transac- 
tions, which immediately preceded the tragedy on Golgotha. 
The exact moment of the agony is not specified ; nor are we 
certified whether dismal clouds hid the heavens, or whether 
the stars looked brightly upon the scene. Lanterns and 
torches were used by the band, who came in pursuit of the 
agonized. What dark deeds were performed on that night ! 
How many eyes kept ceaseless watch ! Spirits, from beneath, 
hover over the sacred city ! Him, whom men and devils have 
long sought to slay, is to be delivered up to their control. — 
The night has come, in which the long-struggling vengeance 
of priests and people, rulers and rabble, shall begin to empty 
itself on the meek, the merciful, the compassionate Jesus. 
Ere the morning beams shall gild the turrets of Zion, the 
Son of God will be within the grasp of Jewish hate. 

Come, let us watch, for one hour, the world's Redeemer. 
Eleven disciples have attended him from that large upper 
room, in which they had eaten together of the Passover, and 
where had been instituted the sacred Supper. Eight of these 
were requested by their Master to remain stationary, soon 
after entering the garden. Three, Peter, James, and John, 
those who had been the eye-witnesses of his transfiguration, 
accompany him a little farther, until he arrests their progress 
by the command, "Tarry ye here, and watch with me." — 
His agony had already begun, for he had said, "My soul is 
exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." Removing a little 
from the three disciples — the distance of " about a stone's 
cast," — he first knelt down, and then prostrated himself and 
prayed, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass 



JESUS CHRIST. 93 

from me ; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt." — 
Arising from his prostration, he returns to the three, "and 
findeth them asleep." Ah, what shall we think of their con- 
dition ? Luke tells us they were asleep " for sorrow ; " and 
Jesus said to them, "The spirit, indeed, is willing, but the 
flesh is weak ; " by which he meant rather to warn than ex- 
cuse them. " What, could ye not watch with me one hour ? " 
" neither wist they what to answer him." Again he with- 
draws, and utters the same sentiment, in words but little 
varied, and again he comes and finds them asleep ; their eyes 
are heavy. O how little sympathy does the agonizing Sa- 
viour receive from his bosom friends ! His enemies are awake ; 
but the very disciples, who were the nearest to his groans, 
seem utterly unconscious of what he is undergoing ! But 
there was a sympathizer near. From the ranks of the celes- 
tials an angel appeared, " strengthening him," when he was 
so intensely excited, that "his sweat was as it were great 
drops of blood, falling down to the ground." A third time 
he leaves them, and offers the already twice-repeated petition, 
and on his return, he saith, " Sleep on now, and take your 
rest ; it is enough, the hour is come, behold, the Son of man 
is betrayed into the hands of sinners." And what could the 
Master have meant by this ? Is it a rebuke, couched in irony? 
The agony was past ; the period, for which he had directed 
them to watch and pray, had expired. A new scene was be- 
ginning, and he asks not their assistance, as he shall meet the 
hostile array, now rapidly advancing to seize him. 

The Cause of this Agony. 

What caused the innocent Jesus to be " exceeding sorrow- 
ful, even unto death ? " Why did he thrice pray for the re- 
moval of that cup, by which great suffering is figuratively 
expressed ? No sense of personal guilt pressed upon his 



94 zion's pathway. 

spirit. Can his distress be accounted for, by considering only 
the externals of his condition ? They were, indeed, trying ; 
but Jesus knew how to suffer calmly. He came to earth to 
endure trials, unequalled in the pilgrimage of any mere man. 
Just before the agony, he had sung a hymn with his disciples. 
To suppose him unable to face the scenes before him, implies 
less firmness than many of the martyrs have manifested. — 
Paul was exposed to every species of torture, which the mal- 
ice of men and devils could inflict ; yet he animatedly affirm- 
ed, " None of these things move me ; neither count I my life 
dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy." 
Who, of all those sealing their faith by their blood, shrank so 
much from a violent death, as did he, claiming to be the Mes- 
siah, if the prospect before him, his anticipated decease at 
Jerusalem, were the sole cause of his agony ? " No person 
ought to have met death with so mueh constancy as Jesus 
Christ, if he underwent a mere ordinary death." He had 
perfect confidence in God, and it was his joy to do the Divine 
will. Fearful forebodings of the future, he could not experi- 
ence ; eternity presented naught to him but visions of bright- 
ness and infinite blessedness. We must look deeper than the 
outward, for a solution of this mighty struggle. 

Let it be remembered, that the terms employed by inspira- 
tion, to depict his anguish, are the most expressive possible. 
Thrice he prostrated himself upon the earth, entreating the 
removal of his bitter cup, if the Father's pleasure could per- 
mit ; and such was the intensity of his mental and physical 
exertions, that his perspiration seemed like " great drops of 
blood, falling down to the ground." 

"Many woes had Christ endured, 

Many sore temptations met ; 
Patient, and to pains inured ! 

But the sorest trial yet, 
Was to be sustained in thee, 

Gloomy, sad Gethsemane ! " 



JESUS CHRIST. 95 

Whence is the explanation? What is the source of this 
deep and overwhelming distress ? For a satisfactory reply, 
we must look to the object which brought the Son of God 
from heaven, and this was to atone for sin. Though the death 
on the cross was the event, which made expiation for human 
guilt, there were other connected and essential parts of the 
sacrifice, appointed to satisfy justice, so that rebels may live. 
Christ was the Lamb of God, and the hour of his sacrificial 
exit was at hand ; even now, in the garden, the guilt of the 
world begins to fall upon him ; a vast, oppressive, infinite 
burden. A new era was opening in the history of humanity ; 
an occurrence was transpiring, which must be forever a per- 
fect anomaly in the annals of the universe. The Father has 
given to the Son " a cup of wrath, a large and deep cup, that 
contained more wrath than was ever drank by any creature, 
even the wrath of an infinite God ; a mixed cup, mixed with 
God's wrath and man's, in the extremity." 

Who can calculate the amount of suffering one lost soul 
may endure, in the endless years of its future existence ? 
The aggregate, then, of the eternal misery, to which the entire 
race would have been doomed, had no Saviour been given, 
must surely be out of the reach of all finite conception ; yet 
this, in its entireness, was seen by Jesus, and felt, to a great 
extent. He did bear the sin of the world ; it lay upon him, as 
he was on the cross, in a few hours subsequent to his agony 
in Gethsemane ; and even there it may have rested a few 
moments on him. Then began to be fulfilled, more than at 
any previous period, this scripture statement, " Surely, he 
hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows ; the chastise- 
ment of our peace was upon him." The doctrine of the 
atonement is the only key which will unlock the mystery of 
the bloody sweat and of the indescribable anguish of spirit. — 
We know, indeed, as previously intimated, that there were 
many circumstances connected with the approaching betrayal, 



96 zion's pathway. 

trial, and execution, all of which were foreseen by the Sa- 
viour, adapted to sink the spirits of a man. One disciple 
would surrender his Master to ruffians ; another was to deny 
him with oaths, and the remainder were to forsake him ; the 
Jews were to open, that day, a stream of God's vengeance, 
which should continue to flow through numerous generations, 
sweeping in its course, to perdition, multitudes of the descend- 
ants of the crucifiers. But in vain do we seek for an ade- 
quate explanation of the Gethsemane scene, in any or all of 
these. In view of the particulars enumerated, he had, just 
before entering the garden, triumphantly " lifted up his eyes 
to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come ; glorify thy 
Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee." The evils attend- 
ant upon his death, must have seemed to him as nothing, in 
comparison with the blessings resulting from it. We doubt 
not, that the keen susceptibilities of Jesus' nature felt, most 
intensely, every insult offered him; his flesh was, perhaps, 
more acutely sensitive to pain, than is ours ; still, to represent 
him as shrinking from mere physical suffering, is not honor- 
able to his character, as the Messiah of God. Beholding 
Jesus as already beginning to bear the world's transgressions, 
we see a cause for his almost overwhelmed state. God must 
hide, as it were, his own face from that Son, in whom he had 
been ever well pleased, when the latter became a substitute 
for sinners. Their desert he in a degree experienced. 

" Go to the garden, sinner, see 

Those precious drops that flow; 
The heavy load he bore for thee, 

For thee, he lies so low." 

But far from us be the presumption, that we do or can fully 
comprehend the mysteries of God manifest in the flesh, in 
any of his sorrows. In that he suffered for us, we will 
rejoice ; " with his stripes we are healed," and for this we 
give praise. 



JESUS CHRIST. 97 



WHY WAS CHRIST CRUCIFIED ? 

It was not for any Crime actually committed by Him. 

His position on the cross, was, indeed, adapted to make the 
impression of extraordinary ill-desert in him. Death, in that 
manner, was a mark of the greatest infamy ; none other, being 
equal to it in ignominy and odiousness. It was the punishment 
of robbers and murderers, provided they were slaves ; but, if 
freemen, it was regarded as too disgraceful for them, however 
aggravated their guilt. Christ had neither directly nor indi- 
rectly violated the laws of the land ; nor had he encouraged, 
in any of those who listened to his instructions, a disregard to 
public authority. On the contrary, he counselled them to 
render unto magistrates the things that belong to them ; not 
less than to God the things which he claims for himself. 

Jesus was, openly, accused of having designs against the 
Roman government, but, in view of all the evidence brought 
to substantiate the charge, Pilate, himself a high officer of 
that nation, and without partiality for Christ, said, " I find no 
fault in him." 

The Saviour had not neglected the established religion of 
his country. He attended faithfully upon the annual festivals, 
and, on the Sabbath, united with the people in worship. In the 
estimation of all unprejudiced minds, he was pure from every 
defilement, and the uniform testimony of the Father was 
entirely in his favor. " This is my beloved Son, in whom I 
am well pleased." Our Lord was not crucified to set an 
example of patience and fortitude under sufferings. Others, 
besides him, have left patterns worthy of imitation in this 
respect. 

9 



98 zion's pathway. 



He could have saved Himself. 

Nor did he die for want of means by which to extricate 
himself from the power of his enemies. Had he but requested 
angelic interference, more than " twelve legions " of the heav- 
enly hosts would have instantly appeared for his rescue. Not 
a moment passed, from the time when he was seized till he 
bowed his head and gave up the ghost, in which he might not 
have delivered himself. By a mere word of his mouth, or a 
glance of the eye, he could have petrified every persecutor ; 
he voluntarily surrendered himself to captors, accusers, and 
crucifiers. Therefore the question returns, why was he put 
to death? To answer this is the problem to be solved. 
Whither shall we look for the means of its solution ? Not 
elsewhere than to the sacred volume ; to that let us turn and 
search for the truth. 

He died to Redeem Man. 

We find, at a date extremely early, that redemption was 
promised to ruined man, and that sacrifices were appointed to 
prefigure Christ's death. The altars for burnt-offering, reared 
by the command of God, and continued by the same authority 
for thousands of years, — the immense number of beasts slain 
and consumed by fire, were all typical of the Eedeemer, who 
was to come. The prophets, speaking as they were guided by 
the Eternal Spirit, portrayed the person, life and death, of a 
promised Saviour. Isaiah is so specific and full, that rejecters 
of Scripture infallibility, affirm, he must have written subse- 
quently to the occurrence of the events described, and yet he 
lived centuries before the advent of the Messiah. His delin- 
eations accord, precisely, with the historical accounts of the 
New Testament. The writings of the evangelists and the 



JESUS CHRIST. 99 

apostolic epistles, are perfectly harmonious, touching the design 
of Christ's death. With holy rapture one of the Saviour's 
penmen tells us — " God so loved the world, that he gave his 
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not 
perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son 
into the world to condemn the world ; but that the world 
through him might be saved." John 3:16, 17. In connection 
with this statement, in phraseology greatly diversified, is set 
forth the death of Christ, as necessary to human salvation. 
" The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to 
minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." Matt. 20 : 
28. " For there is one God, and one mediator between God 
and men, the man Christ Jesus ; who gave himself a ransom 
for all." 1 Tim. 2: 5, 6. " Who was delivered for our 
offences, and was raised again for our justification." Romans, 
4 : 25. " Christ died for our sins." 1 Cor. 15 : 3. " Who 
gave himself for our sins." Gal. 1 : 4. The same great truth 
is presented in still different language. Christ is said to bear 
the guilt of all men. " Behold the Lamb of God, which 
taketh away the sin of the world !" John, 1 : 29. The word 
here rendered taketh away, means to take up and carry. " So 
Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many." Heb. 9 : 
28. " And ye know that he was manifested to take away our 
sins." 1 John, 3:5. We read, that Christ was made a pro- 
pitiation, by which term we are to understand a propitiatory 
sacrifice. "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, 
through faith in his blood." Romans, 3 : 25. " And he is the 
propitiation for our sins ; and not for ours only, but also for the 
sins of the whole world." 1 John, 2 : 2. Yet another form 
of representation is, that Christ died to reconcile men to God, 
to restore them to divine favor. " For if, when we were 
enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son." 
Romans, 5 : 10. " God was in Christ, reconciling the world 
unto himself" 2 Cor. 5 : 19. Inspiration adopts a diversified 






100 zion's pathway. 

mode of expression ; the sentiment, however, is one ; and the 
doctrine inculcated is, that Christ died to save mankind from 
the condemnation under which they lie, by reason of sin. No 
less explicit are the Scriptures, in regard to the actual effect 
of Christ's death on the moral relation of men to God. The 
human race is in a fallen state, and without help, except as 
sovereign grace provides it. Eternal death awaits every 
transgressor who has no merits but his own to present to his 
Maker. 

He satisfied Justice. 

By the death under consideration, the demands of justice 
were so far met, that God can " be just, and the justifier of 
him that believeth in Jesus." In a qualified sense of the term, 
Christ is said to have been the substitute of the sinner. Man's 
sins he bore, in his own body, on the tree ; the sword raised to 
smite the guilty fell on him ; and now the former, by availing 
himself of the merits of the sufferer, may escape in this life, 
in a good degree, the consequences of his own depravity, and 
wholly in the future state. 

He paid our Debt. 

Christ is likewise represented as paying the debt of the 
sinner. Such language can be employed only in a restricted 
or a metaphorical sense. Perfect and perpetual obedience is 
due to the law of God, from every rational creature. When- 
ever an individual fails in the discharge of this duty, he 
becomes obnoxious to the penalty of the law ; in other words, 
is a debtor to it, and his obligations he can cancel in no other 
way, than by suffering. The smallest violation involves so 
much guilt, that the demand cannot be satisfied with less than 
eternal endurance. Christ, by dying, has so answered the 



JESUS CHRIST. 101 

requirement of the broken law, that the transgressor may be 
delivered from condemnation by availing himself of the merits 
of that death. 

Sometimes it is said, that our Sins were imputed to Christ. 

In its literal acceptation, imputing is reckoning to one what 
actually belongs to him ; hence, to impute sin, is to place at 
one's own account the sins of which he is guilty ;' and not to 
impute sin, is to regard one as not a sinner. " Blessed is the 
man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity." Ps. 32 : 2. 
The sin of any man could not be literally imputed to Christ ; 
yet the guilt of the entire world was so placed to his account, 
that he is said to have borne it in his own body, and to have 
died for it. This was the weight that oppressed him, and 
compelled him to exclaim, " O my Father, if it be possible, 
let this cup pass from me ! nevertheless, not as I will, but as 
thou wilt." Matt. 26 : 39. On the cross, too, the same burden 
bowed him down, and extorted the cry, " My God, my God, 
why hast thou forsaken me ? " Matt. 27 : 46. 

"What was accomplished by the death of Jesus, is denom- 
inated an atonement. Uniting all the Scripture representa- 
tions respecting the intent of the sacrifice of the Lamb of 
God, and the actual effect of it on the moral state of man, we 
may express ourselves thus : Justice is so satisfied, the demands 
of the law upon the sinner are so answered, the debt of the sin- 
ner is in such a sense paid, and all the requirements of God's 
moral government are so far met, that the sinner may secure 
pardon and eternal life. 

Heaven is open to all Men. 

The atonement is general, not particular ; universal, not 
limited ; the family of man is embraced in its provisions ; the 
9* 



102 zion's pathway. 

charter of redemption excludes none. It is easy to see on exami- 
nation of the passages of revealed truth, in which are exhib- 
ited the nature and extent of God's merciful arrangements for 
the race, that they are truly comprehensive. " Ho, every one 
that thirsteth, come ye to the waters." Isaiah, 55:1. " Come 
unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give 
you rest." Matt. 11 : 28. This cardinal truth, that Christ 
died for the sins of the world, ought never to be concealed. 
Set it aside, and in no quarter can we find authority to affirm, 
that heaven is attainable by all ; some must, of necessity, be 
miserable for ever, if the atonement does not reach their case; 
the antidote will appear less extensive than the evil for which 
it was provided. The first Adam's influence was wider than 
is that of the second. Such, however, is not the presentation 
made in the word of God. But while the animating truth, 
that Christ died for all, should be everywhere published and 
enforced, another important fact must not by any means be 
held back. It is the following : The death of Christ does not, 
in itself alone, secure the salvation of any soid. Did he then 
appear on an uncertain expedition ? Far otherwise is the 
fact. Before he left the glory, which he had enjoyed eternally 
with the Father, the guarantee was given, that he should see 
of the travail of his soul and be satisfied ; that an innumera- 
ble company, which no man can number, redeemed out of all 
nations, kindreds, people, and tongues, shall at last stand with 
him on the Zion above, " clothed with white robes and palms 
in their hands." It must be admitted that, thus far, the great 
majority of the race, reaching adult age, have perished ; but 
it is far from being improbable, that when all the arrange- 
ments of the mediatorial economy shall come to an end, that 
the number of the saved will almost infinitely exceed the 
catalogue of the lost. A sentiment advanced by some, that, 
because Christ died for all, none can fail of salvation, has no 
support in the Bible. Life eternal is offered us on certain 



JESUS CHRIST. 103 

terms, which, in all cases, must be regarded. Those comply- 
ing are saved, — rejecters are lost. Many refuse to comply, 
and therefore experience the woes of the second death. 

" Salvation, salvation, 

The joyful sound proclaim ; 
Till earth's remotest nation 

Has learned Messiah's name." 

Go, ye heralds of the cross, through all the continents and 
islands, proclaiming the wonderful truths of redemption. 
Publish the arousing fact, that Christ has atoned for sin ; that 
heaven is accessible ; but ever join with such announcement, 
others, equally true, important, and closely connected ; no sal- 
vation without repentance for sin, and faith in the Redeemer. 
The celestial city is barred against the impenitent. Encour- 
aging careless sinners to expect eternal life, simply because 
Christ has died, is perverting the gospel, and bringing upon 
the one who does it, the terrible anathema denounced against 
false teachers. Thanks to God, the rebellious among men 
may be forgiven ; aliens may be brought near ; the heir3 of 
wrath devouring, enduring, can become candidates for the 
New Jerusalem ; but tremble ye, who live in guilt, for con- 
demnation will be aggravated in proportion to the richness of 
the grace slighted. The mountains of your trangressions, 
now rising fearfully high, may crush you for ever ! 

Perhaps the query is started, did not Christ suffer in vain 
as it respects some ? If such interrogatory arise, it can be 
answered by saying, that whatever he underwent would have 
been necessary, had only one person needed forgiveness. 
The imperious demand for the atonement rests not in the 
number of sinners, but in the nature of sin. Again ; every 
plan of God answers the precise end intended. He is hon- 
ored by the scheme of redemption, whether few or many avail 
themselves of its benefits. The happiness, the glory, yea, all the 



104 zion's pathway. 

perfections of Jehovah, are so infinitely removed from the 
scenes and circumstances of earth, as not actually to suffer in 
consequence of any occurrences in time. It will be worse 
than in vain to all who refuse the purchased grace ; for they 
must meet a more dreadful doom, after having slighted the 
Saviour, than they could if no mercy were provided. 

I have thus endeavored to answer the inquiry, Why was 
Christ crucified ? Who will not return thanks to God for the 
gift of a Saviour ? Can any contemptuously treat the Lord's 
marvellous interposition for a world of sinners ? 

THE CRUCIFIXION SCENE. 

" And they crucified him." Isolated, these words simply 
announce a fact. Contemplated in the connection in which 
they stand on inspiration's page, they proclaim an event 
greater than was the birth of the world, or than will be its 
dissolution. The day, which witnessed the crucifixion, stands 
alone in the earth's calendar ; for it, we may almost affirm, all 
all others were made. 

Crosses had been previously elevated as high as the one 
now erected — and many a condemned individual had expiated 
real or supposed guilt on wood accursed — but here was a 
cross, which, like the sun in the heavens, should attract the 
gaze of the nations. " And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, 
will draw all men unto me." Thus did he predict of himself, 
whose mournful elevation we now contemplate. 

Behold, the cross is lifted up and a king is suspended thereon. 
A wonderful being is occupying a remarkable position. The 
king of the Jews, yea, the ruler of the whole earth, is nailed 
to the cross. Is this by thy permission, O thou that inhabitest 
eternity ? Then, may we not exclaim, " Clouds and darkness 
are round about thee." Whom thou hast consecrated as king, 
man is murdering, as if he were the veriest scourge of human- 



JESUS CHRIST. 105 

ity. " My kingdom is not of this world," solves, in part, the 
otherwise mysterious problem. He, whom they crucify, came 
to reign in righteousness, and not to rule according to ordinary 
procedure. To erect, on the ruins of sin, an empire of holi- 
ness, was his errand to earth. Jesus was a spiritual prince. 
Wherefore, then, should he be lifted up in this shameful man- 
ner ? Can the history of any world afford a parallel ? No, 
there is nothing like it. Singular are all the circumstances 
attending the crucifixion of this king. The holy city, on the 
night previous to the event, exhibited a strange mixture of 
occurrences. From all parts of Palestine the people have 
come up to attend a great national yearly festival. Some of 
the truly devout are breathing forth their most fervent prayers, 
for the coming of the long expected Shiloh, while others are 
rejoicing that he has already come ; but the chief priests and 
the rulers are now actually engaged in the necessary prelimi- 
naries for the crucifixion of the same promised Deliverer. 
All night is heard the sound of footsteps ; morning comes, and 
it echoes, throughout the streets and lanes, that a great and 
awful scene is soon to be witnessed on Calvary. The much 
sought Jesus is in the power of his persecutors, and stands at 
the bar of the Roman governor. Enraged Jews have suc- 
ceeded in laying hands upon him, and are anxiously waiting to 
hear the death decision. When it is intimated by the judge, 
to whom they have committed the case, that the accused is 
innocent, with rending cries they demand that he should be 
crucified, and the voice of the king's enemies prevails — sen- 
tence is given according to their request. But insult must be 
added to insult. The meek and lowly Jesus is taken into the 
common hall, where a band of soldiers gather about him, rend 
his garments from him, attire him in a scarlet robe, place a 
crown of thorns on his head, a reed, as a mock sceptre, in his 
hand, and bow with feigned adoration before him, saying, 
9 Hail, king of the Jews." The heart's blackest venom is cast 
into the face of the suffering prisoner. 



106 zion's pathway. 

At length the hour for execution arrives, and the great pro- 
cession starts for the mount of crucifixion. The temple of 
God is reflecting, from its golden turrets, the rays of the morn- 
ing sun. Siloa's brook is flowing softly, fast by the holy ora- 
cles. All nature seems quiet, as were the moments, forming 
a prelude to those mysterious phenomena, which caused the 
everlasting hills to shake. Yast numbers are pouring forth 
from every part of Jerusalem, with their faces towards Cal- 
vary. Men, women, and children, are hurrying onward, to 
witness or to bewail the great exhibition of the day. Various 
are the feelings, and dissimilar the thoughts, that exercise the 
hearts and the minds of the promiscuous throng. What, 
inquires one, is Jesus to be crucified ? It was he, who re- 
stored to vigor my withered arm. He, says another, cured 
my disorder, which no physician could relieve. Had it not 
been for him, adds a third, I should never have arisen from 
the bed on which I had lain helpless for eight and thirty years. 
Yonder passes the man who never saw, till Jesus gave him 
sight. He weeps, that his kind benefactor is now to be igno- 
miniously executed. There, too, is the widow, whose heart 
was made to overflow with joy, when, at the gate of Nam, the 
compassionate Redeemer touched the bier on which her only 
son was borne to the burial, and the young man was restored 
to his mother. Some are bewailing, but more are exulting. 
Thousands had heard Christ rebuke their wickedness, and 
now they rejoice in the prospect of being freed from his 
reproving accents. There run a group of youth, whose lips 
have learned nothing but impudence. Here is a company of 
little children, upon some of whose heads the hands of Christ 
had been laid in blessings ; only a day or two since, many of 
them were singing hosannas to his name in the temple. 

The prisoner and his attendants, leaving the hall of Pilate, 
pass through the street, significantly termed in later times, 
" Via Dolorosa." Jesus is compelled to bear his own cross, till 



JESUS CHRIST. 107 

he faints under the weight. Touched with sympathy for the 
sufferer, many lament for him ; but he, seeing greater cause for 
tears than his own condition, turns his eyes upon the melting 
multitude, and says, " Weep not for me, but weep for your- 
selves and your children." 

They arrive at the locality consecrated to public executions. 
Golgotha is the name applied to it, because of the many skulls 
of criminals there scattered. See that chasm in the rock, 
waiting to receive the cross of the Redeemer. Behold the 
spikes, which are to pierce the hands and the feet of the spot- 
less Lamb of God. Savage soldiers remove from the victim 
his garments, and expose him not only to the contempt of 
infuriated men, but to the air and to the sun. Lo, he is 
fastened to the fatal wood and suspended between heaven and 
earth, as if worthy of neither. When on trial, a murderer 
had been preferred to him, and now he is placed between two 
thieves. He thirsts, and they give him to drink, vinegar, 
mingled with gall. Some, sitting down, watch him with 
fiendish looks. The malice, so long rankling in their bosoms, 
luxuriates in the agonies of its object. " Thou, that destroy- 
est the temple and buildest it in three days, save thyself. — If 
thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross." Priests, 
with unsurpassed scorn, pour out their contempt in words like 
these ; — " He saved others, himself he cannot save. If he 
be the king of Israel, let him now come down from the cross 
and we will believe him. He trusted in God, let him deliver 
him now, if he will have him, for he said, I am the Son of 
God." Alas ! even his fellow-sufferers join in the bitter 
taunts. It is written, that " the thieves, also, who were cruci- 
fied with him, cast the same in his teeth." We are informed, 
that somewhere, amid these acts of insult and torture, Jesus 
said, " Father, forgive them;" leaving an example to ail who 
suffer for righteousness, to follow. " And they crucified him." 
Earth and hell pour their vengeance on the spotless Messiah. 



108 zion's pathway. 

Ah, if ever there were a jubilee throughout the realm of rebel 
angels, was it not when the Lord of glory was nailed to the 
cross? Their mighty foe — he, who by his omnipotence had 
driven them from the shining seats, forfeited by their apostasy, 
is struggling amid death's agonies. 

What means this withdrawal of light, and this coming on of 
darkness ? Suddenly the heavens are veiled in sackcloth, and 
nature is shrouded in midnight. Do not sad reflections arise 
in your minds, ye infuriated persecutors ? In the midst of 
your dreadful transactions there is an awful interruption. Oh, 
that some artist, of surpassing skill, had been present to depict 
the approach, the continuance, and the termination of that 
direful shrouding in gloom, and to transmit his performance to 
after ages. Ye sceptics, to whom all deep things are equally 
without depth, unveil to us the mystery of a midnight at noon . 
of the heavens in mourning, and of the earth in agony. 

Three hour's darkness triumphs. How did the thousands, 
forming concentric circles around the cross, occupy themselves 
during the dreary interval ? Were there any tears of con- 
trition then shed ? Three hours of solid, awful darkness ! 
Didst thou, great orb of day, who for thousands of years hadst 
not once failed to emit thy beams, lose the power of shining — 
or did thy rays return, affrighted, when they beheld their Maker 
disgraced and dying ? 

Light begins to reappear and Jesus cries with a loud voice, 
saying, " Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani, — My God, my God, 
why hast thou forsaken me ? " And was it not enough that 
earth and hell should league together against the king of Zion ? 
Must the Father conspire with them to inflict upon his own 
well-beloved Son, undeserved vengeance ? Thou, O most 
High, didst permit and perform all this for the sake of accom- 
plishing an end worthy of thy wisdom, and consistent with thine 
unbounded benevolence. We refer to thy part performed in 
this great drama, with no cavilling design, but to mark the 



JESUS CHRIST. 109 

several ingredients, mingled in the Saviour's cup of woe. 
Various were the thoughts started by the lamentation just 
uttered by Jesus, but among them all there was none of com- 
passion. " Let be ; let us see whether Elias will come to 
save him." Soon, we hear again the voice of the sufferer, 
exclaiming, " It is finished," and, having declared this fact, " he 
bowed his head and gave up the ghost." Still, other amaz- 
ing phenomena succeed ; the veil of the temple is rent in 
twain from the top to the bottom ; the earth quakes and the 
rocks are shattered. Do we behold witnesses of the cruci- 
fixion earthquake, when we see the myriads of rocky fragments, 
which overspread so many of our fields ? These are monu- 
ments of mighty commotions in nature ; they are proofs of rev- 
olutions among the flinty portions of the earth. Neither we, 
nor our fathers, have seen the mountain tottering, or the 
granite hills exploding ; yet such events have occurred in 
all parts of this continent. May not the whole material of 
our globe have been moved, agitated, and terribly shaken, 
when Christ expired ? Ought we not, when seeing these 
inanimate witnesses of some wonderful agitation in nature, 
to betake ourselves to the cross ? " Graves were opened 
and many bodies of the saints, which slept, arose." They 
not only appeared alive, but actually went into the holy city 
and shewed themselves to the living there. Did not their 
coming forth from the repose of the grave, afford a proof that 
Christ, in dying, subdued death? Were they not early 
fruits of his power to restore all who have died or shall die ? 
The spirit of Jesus has departed ; his eye, so wont to pity the 
afflicted, and to weep with the sorrowful, is closed in death — 
but human malignity is not yet satisfied — a soldier boldly ad- 
vances and thrusts a spear into the side of the breathless body. 
What will be done with these sacred remains ? Shall they 
be cast away, to become food for ravens and vultures ? There 
is one who has witnessed the crucifixion, himself a counsellor — 
10 



110 zion's pathway. 

a member of the Jewish court, who never had consented to the 
condemnation of Jesus ; with true sympathy, and sincere piety, 
he goes to the authorities of the place, and craves the body. 
Having attired it in clean linen, he " laid it in his own new tomb, 
which he had hewn out of a rock," and secured it by rolling a 
great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and thus terminates the 
scenes of the crucifixion. Who was benefited by the specta- 
cle on that memorable occasion ? Who, I mean, of those that 
were witnesses ? A centurion was touched so as to testify in 
these emphatic words, " Truly this was the Son of God." In- 
spiration has added also another fact. " And all the people, that 
came together to that sight, beholding the things which were 
done, smote their breasts, and returned." Did they repent ? 
Are some of them with Christ in heaven ? The great fact, 
that Jesus was crucified, we know ; for none other in history, 
is more fully substantiated — but at just what time in our year, 
the anniversary of that event comes around, who can tell ? 
Heaven secures to us essential information yet mere curiosity 
fails of being gratified. Jews and Gentiles were united in the 
fearful tragedy. The former demanded the death of the Re- 
deemer, the latter carried the demand into execution, and the 
prime mover of both, was Satan himself. Far back in the 
counsels of eternity, was the decree of Jehovah, that the Son, 
the second person in the Trinity, should, having become incar- 
nate, be given up to all these buffetings. " Him, being deliv- 
ered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, 
ye have taken, and, by wicked hands, have crucified and slain." 
Christ was the Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the 
world. We must deprecate the feelings, purposes, and deeds, 
of the crucifiers, or be justly charged with partaking of their 
guilt — yet, at the same time, we should adore the measureless 
goodness of the Almighty, in giving us his Son to die for sin. 
In view of what the Saviour suffered, our hearts should melt 
in pity and love. Considering the established fact, that our 



JESUS CHRIST. Ill 

salvation rests on the merits of Christ's death, we should 
render ceaseless praise for this great, essential sacrifice. 



THE MEDIATORSHIP OF CHRIST. 

Its relation to Individuals. 

By mediator, we understand a third person, who interposes 
between two parties, for the adjustment of difficulties. The 
occasions are many, in human affairs, in which the services of 
such a person are needed. It is not uncommon for one nation 
to mediate between two others, and thus bring about an ami- 
cable settlement of an unhappy state of affairs, which other- 
wise might result in the effusion of blood. There is an 
absolute necessity for a mediator between God and man, 
because of the revolted condition into which the human race 
has fallen by sin. Perfect beings, however far removed from 
their Creator in the endowments of their natures, find ready 
access to their Sovereign. But he cannot look with approba- 
tion upon the guilty. His holy law must be maintained ; and 
this can be done in only one of two ways ; either the sinner 
must suffer the full penalty due to his transgressions, or a third 
party must interpose with such qualifications as shall bring 
about a reconciliation. It is evident, that for such an under- 
taking, peculiar requisites are demanded. Let us look at the 
parties in the case brought to view. God, the infinite, and 
man, a finite being, are at variance. A wide and awful breach 
has been made between the eternal Sovereign and the earthly 
subject. Who shall stand up and reconcile the immutable 
Creator and the alienated creature ? Surely, he who has be- 
come an object of divine displeasure, cannot satisfy the law, 
by penitence or prayer, or any suffering which is short of 
eternal Angels cannot heal this division — for should they 



112 zion's pathway. 

undertake the cause of the guilty, they would themselves 
become partakers of iniquity, and at once be expelled, as 
rebels, from their celestial abode. Jehovah himself cannot, in 
his appropriate character, as Governor of the universe, at- 
tempt the direct restoration of the sinner, without violating 
his own law, and laying himself open to the just complaints of 
all the holy in his kingdom. In order for the settlement of 
the difficulty, one must appear, who can unite in himself, the 
interests of both parties. How can this be done ? Moment- 
ous inquiry ! None but Omniscience is able to answer it, and 
let mortals rejoice in the provision, made in heaven. The 
plan formed, was to unite true divinity and real humanity, in 
one person. Such an arrangement was, undoubtedly, the only 
one that could be made ; for, had a less sacrifice been adequate, 
than is implied in this, it would unquestionably have been 
preferred ; and to obtain a Mediator of more exalted qualifi- 
cations than he possesses, who is thus provided, were impossi- 
ble. We are bound to conclude, that what God does, is not 
only right, but the best conceivable. In Scripture terms, this 
Mediator is the man Christ Jesus. " There is one God and 
one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus." 
He was early promised to come as the great Deliverer of the 
race. To him the types of the ancient dispensation all pointed. 
He answers, in every particular, the delineations given by the 
ancient prophets of him who should appear, in an age subse- 
quent to their own, as the Messiah. The union of supreme 
divinity and of real humanity, qualified him to enter on the 
wonderful work. By his spotless life he magnified the law 
and made it honorable ; and by his death on Calvary, where 
he suffered as the atoning Lamb, slain from the foundation of 
the world, according to the determinate counsel and foreknowl- 
edge of God, he freely endured the penalty due to man, and 
thus brought the entire race into a salvable condition. The 
sacrifice of himself upon the cross, was infinite in its merits, 



JESUS CHRIST. 113 

because he united with his human, the divine nature. Short 
were his agonies, but the dignity of the sufferer rendered them, 
in the eye of justice, equal in merit to the eternal punishment 
of the whole human race. " On him was laid the iniquity of 
us all." He died and was entombed ; but the bonds of death 
could not long hold him ; he arose from the rock-hewn sepul- 
chre, and, after a brief sojourn on earth, ascended to heaven, 
and sat down " at the right hand of God, where he ever liveth 
to make intercession for us." None can approach the Father, 
except through him, nor can benefits be conferred upon sinners 
save on account of what the Mediator has done for them. 
It was by him, as promised, that the saints of the first dispen- 
sation had access to God. He is " the same yesterday, to-day, 
and forever." To him are Christians indebted for their pres- 
ent happiness, and for their hope of eternal bliss. By him 
sinners must be saved or perish. Jesus can roll off the 
mountains of guilt which oppress the penitent's soul ; he can 
remove the deep stains of sin, and prepare the humble for 
spotless purity. There is no darkness, which his beams can- 
not dissipate, and no insensibility which shall not yield, when 
he commissions the Spirit to overcome it. 

Its Kingly Character. 

In the Scriptures, a kingly character is often ascribed to 
Christ. Speaking of him, Jehovah says, " I have set my King 
upon my holy of Zion." After describing the humiliation of 
the Lord Jesus, in his state on earth, an inspired writer adds : 
" Wherefore, God hath highly exalted him, and given him a 
name which is above every name. That at the name of Jesus 
every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in 
earth, and things under the earth. And that every tongue 
should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God 
the Father." Phil. 2 : 9 — 11. Furthermore, it is affirmed 
10* 



114 zion's pathway. 

by the same authority, that God hath set the Mediator "at his 
own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principal- 
ity, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that 
is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to 
come ; and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to 
be the head over all things to the church." Eph. 1 : 20 — 22. 
Again, we find it asserted of this same Being, that " he must 
reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet." 1 Cor. 15 : 
25. A most excellent compend of biblical teachings, concern- 
ing this point, says : " Christ executeth the office of a king, in 
subduing us to himself; in ruling and defending us, and in 
restraining and conquering all his and our enemies." 

What is the nature of that universal subjugation, which 
Immanuel is to effect ? Complete it will be ; but how will 
intelligent creatures, belonging to the order of sinners, stand 
related to him when the last foe shall have been made to sub- 
mit ? Some, in fellowship far more with sin, than holiness, 
would fain look forward to a period when blessedness shall be 
their inheritance. Does the fact affirmed by infallibility, that 
Christ will subdue all things unto himself, authorize the idea, 
that subsequently to the event named, there will be no suffer- 
ing in the universe ? Is happiness a necessary consequent 
upon subjugation? When the eternal Son ; "grasping in his 
right hand ten thousand thunders," conquered the rebellious 
angels, binding them in chains of fire, did they become at once 
and forever, blissful? Our first parents lifted their hands 
against their Maker, and thus lost communion with him. They 
were excluded from Eden — but what were the fruits to them 
of this divine expulsion? Expelled they were, and driven 
away, not into bliss, but out of it. Jehovah subdued the sin- 
ning world, when its wickedness had become exceedingly 
great. He bowed, also, before his own awful uprising, the 
guilty inhabitants of Sodom, and her sister cities, yet none 
whom the deluge destroyed, or who were swept away by fire 



JESUS CHRIST. 115 

from heaven, found happiness, as the consequent of subduing 
power brought to bear upon them. They did indeed submit, 
for resistance to Omnipotence was of no avail. It becomes us 
carefully to discriminate between a surrender, which is en- 
tirely free, and that which results from superior force. Some, 
once arrayed against Christ, submit voluntarily. The number 
of mankind that have already taken this course is large, but 
as future years shall glide, the relative proportion of this 
class, in the race, will doubtless be greatly increased. Moved 
by the Word and the Spirit of the Lord, these make a cheer- 
ful and perpetual surrender of themselves to the King of 
Zion. Multitudes there have been in past ages, and at the 
present time myriads exist, not enrolled among the willing 
followers of Jesus. " It is not charity, but inattention to the 
terms of salvation, as they are revealed in the Scriptures, 
which leads men to think favorably of the spiritual state of 
the world in general." If the Judge should now appear, for 
the raising of the dead and for the allotting of the retributions 
of eternity, he would doubtless find millions more of enemies 
than of friends, both among the dead and among the living. 
Be the time of his second advent when it may, those who 
have died his opposers, will be found foes at his final coming, 
and such they must remain forever. 

Inspiration is sufficiently explicit, touching the nature of 
that profound and complete subjugation which the Lord Jesus 
will effect. Millions must experience in themselves the pun- 
ishment " which the justice of God has prepared for the, re- 
jecters of his grace." Jehovah, addressing the Messiah, with 
reference to the unyielding subjects of his empire, says : 
" Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron ; thou shalt dash 
them in pieces like a potter's vessel." Again ; " Sit thou on 
my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool." We 
are assured that he will reign " till he hath put all enemies 
under his feet." This latter mode of expression indicates the 



116 

most abject degree of subjection — a complete state of pros- 
tration, by extraneous force. Anciently, conquerors were ac- 
customed to place their feet upon the necks of their captives, 
to indicate a total prostration of the conquered. For instance, 
Joshua, having taken five opposing princes, brought them 
before the people of Israel, and said to the men of war, who 
had attended him ; " Come near, put your feet upon the neck 
of them ; fear not, nor be dismayed ; be strong and of good 
courage, for thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies, against 
whom ye fight." After this exhibition, the five royal prisoners 
were slain and hung upon as many trees. Oh, how deceived 
are they, who suspend a hope of heaven on the assurance that 
Christ will subdue all men to himself. Promises of good to 
the humble are not clothed in words of terror. The willing 
subjects of the mediatorial reign are not put beneath the feet 
of their King ; they are permitted to sit with him on his 
throne of glory. Better will it be for any man to be cast 
alive into a burning crater, than to be made the footstool of 
the Redeemer ! For those once there, no escape can be dis- 
covered. All, thus trampled down, shall be bound in everlast- 
ing chains of unquenchable fire. 

That Christ will subdue all persons and things to himself is 
certain, for (1,) he was elevated to the heavenly seat, in order 
to accomplish that end. The whole tenor of the Scriptures, 
in regard to this point, shows that the Son left heaven and 
passed through a variety of scenes on earth, from the manger 
to the cross, and thence to the mediatorial throne, for the pur- 
pose of bringing this revolted world into subordination to the 
divine government. (2.) He has the requisite power, author- 
ity, and wisdom, for effecting this purpose. To him are sur- 
rendered, by the Father, the treasures of the world above, and 
of the earth. Creatures every where are made, by a decree, 
subject to his bidding ; and in some way he can cause them to 
subserve the ends of his administration. By an absolute 



JESUS CHRIST. 117 

edict, good men and bad men, holy angels and evil angels, are 
rendered subject to his power. If he speak, they must listen ; 
when he commands, none can, with impunity, refuse obedi- 
ence ; his word is law, and his authority allows no safe resist- 
ance. (3.) Christ is determined to obtain complete victory 
over every foe. His reign is not inglorious ; it is not slothful ; 
in no respect is it inefficient. " Never was a warfare so des- 
perate, as that which sinners maintain against the laws and 
empire of Christ." Mortal energies are nothing before him ; 
human expedients, to resist his sway, he will not allow to re- 
tard, in the least, his progress from conquest to conquest. 
That arm, extended to save the humble, will be lifted in wrath 
against the obstinate. " But those, mine enemies, that would 
not that I should reign over them, bring them hither and slay 
them before me." Prior to the Redeemer's first advent, a 
prophet had said, " He shall see of the travail of his soul 
and be satisfied," and, from the time of his exaltation to the 
present, he has been intent upon fulfilling this prediction to 
the widest extent of its import. What, though " the kings of 
the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, 
against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, Let us 
break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us. 
He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh ; the Lord shall have 
them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, 
and vex them in his sore displeasure." Continually, the Son 
of God is rolling onward his victorious car. The nations are 
now trembling at his presence. Prophecy shows us the world 
prostrated at his feet, and the earth filled with the lustre of 
his name and the monuments of his victories ; he is exhibited, 
as reigning in undisturbed peace, for a thousand years. 
Whether, however, they be literal or prophetic years, is a 
question to which divers answers have been given. That 
there is to be a long period of blessedness, in time, under the 
government of Jesus, no believer in revelation will deny. 



118 zion's pathway. 

But it will be followed by new manifestations of hostility from 
Satan and his legions ; who, though long held in chains, and 
though prohibited from going forth, were not entirely divested 
of their power, and not at all of their malice. At the expi- 
ration of the millennial era, fallen angels are to be allowed to 
exercise their energies for a while ; yet, for what length of 
time, we are not informed. It is termed " a little season." 
Rev. 20 : 3. Short, doubtless, it will be, in comparison with 
the illustrious period which immediately preceded it. Onward 
shall roll the car of time, whether sin or holiness be in the 
ascendant. Christ's conquest will be complete, when the gen- 
eral judgment shall have occurred, and this event stands in 
close connection with the general resurrection of all the dead. 

" No more shall atheists mock his long delay ; 
His vengeance sleeps no more — behold the day." 

The countless myriads of the slumberers shall be raised ; the 
living all be changed, and the human family be summoned 
into the presence of the Mediator, seated on a tribunal for 
judicial transactions. Mankind, on that august occasion, will 
appear in the characters which they possessed at the time 
when they left the world. By the righteous, that scene will 
be hailed with joy. The wicked have nothing except eternal 
wrath to expect, and they would gladly escape the scrutiny of 
that day. They will appear with the mark of their rebellion 
on them, and still cherishing their long indulged hostility to 
the Son of God. "While all who submitted to Christ in time, 
will joyfully bow the knee to Immanuel ; his enemies shall 
perform the same act, by the mere force of Omnipotence, and 
be made to acknowledge the unrighteousness of their career in 
sin. Power to harm the saints, or to pollute what is holy, 
shall be taken away, but there will be no place or disposition 
for availing repentance. They and the devils are to be eter- 
nal monuments of divine wrath, and compelled to extol the 



JESUS CHRIST. 119 

power, which prevented their harming heaven and confined 
them in hell. 



Its Termination. 

What will become of the Mediatorship of Christ, after the 
righteous shall all have been welcomed into the kingdom pre- 
pared for them, and the wicked shall have been driven away into 
that world created for the devil and his angels ? The Scrip- 
tures are not destitute of allusion to this subject. Indeed, they 
seem to speak with a good degree of explicitness in respect to 
it, though what they affirm is contained in a very brief com- 
pass : " Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up 
the kingdom to God, even the Father ; when he shall have put 
down all rule, and all authority and power." 1 Cor. 15 : 24. 

The chapter containing this passage is chiefly devoted to a 
discussion, respecting the doctrine of the resurrection of be- 
lievers ; and this verse, with the four following, are brought 
forward in a manner rather parenthetical. 

Having, by arguments clear and conclusive, proved the doc- 
trine, the apostle alludes to the time of the resurrection, which 
shall take place when Christ appears the second time. He 
adds, " then cometh the relog, end." But what does the holy 
penman mean by this last term ? Some understand him to 
speak of the end of the resurrection. " Christ, the first fruits, 
afterward, they that are Christ's, at his coming" — then the 
closing part of the work of restoring the slumberers in the 
earth ; i. e. the wicked are raised. But does not such an in- 
terpretation seem unnatural ? By end is more generally 
understood, the termination of the present economy, the close 
of probation, and the burning of the world ; and the latter, I 
suppose to be the true import of the word in the verse under 
consideration. By kingdom, fiaadsuxv, interpreters more gen- 
erally think, is meant the mediatorial kingdom of Christ. 



120 zion's pathway. 

This he received of the Father as the reward of sufferings, 
endured for man, and as a display of that wonderful benevo- 
lence toward the ruined race of human beings, which is re- 
vealed in the gospel, and its government the Redeemer now 
administers, being enthroned at the right hand of God. Oth- 
ers regard the kingdom, as that dominion " which the enemies 
of God and his people have usurped and which Christ shall 
eventually restore, or reestablish, to the Father, by putting 
down all opposition to his supreme dominion." The verb 
nagada, preceding fiauileiav, I should construe in the present 
tense, as it evidently may be ; then cometh, or then is the end, 
when he delivers up the kingdom. The pronoun, he, is not in 
the original, but it is naturally supplied from the twenty-third 
verse, and manifestly refers to Christ as antecedent. The 
word Jc<xTceQy7](j7j translated, shall have put down, signifies, to 
render inactive, to spoil, to cause to cease, to do away, to put 
an end to, to destroy, etc. Furthermore, the rule, authority, 
and power, mentioned in the passage, include every kind of 
opposition to holiness, whether it be human or Satanic ; 
whether it exist in the form of religion, or of infidelity, or of 
atheism ; whether it be on earth, or in hell. Christ has un- 
dertaken to subdue all opposition. 

With the above preliminaries respecting particular words, 
let us pass to an examination of two expositions, which are 
given to the verse before us. I am not aware that more than 
two have ever been adopted by expounders of authority. A 
hundred new ones may, however, have appeared, within a 
brief period. Ours is an age prolific in strange opinions of 
the Scriptures. Swarms of biblical writers are manifesting a 
wisdom above what is revealed. First ; at the end of the world, 
and subsequent to the general resurrection and final judgment, 
Christ will resign his mediatorial office and vacate the throne 
on which he sits as Mediator, that the universe, ever after, 
may be under the direct and immediate control of the God- 



JESUS CHRIST. 121 

head, as it was prior to the establishment of the divine medi- 
atorship. The human nature of Christ will not cease to exist, 
but his present office will be terminated, at the close of the 
scenes attending those august events. This interpretation 
may be set forth in the language of the writers who have 
adopted it and given their reasons. Doddridge paraphrases 
the passage above quoted, thus : " And then shall the end of 
the world be, the grand catastrophe of all those wonderful 
scenes that have held in suspense so many succeeding gene- 
rations, when he shall publicly and solemnly deliver up the 
mediatorial kingdom to God, even the Father, by whose com- 
mission he has held it, and to whose glory he has administered 
it." * The following is the language of Dr. T. Scott : " The 
solemnities of the final judgment being concluded, Christ will 
deliver up the mediatorial kingdom to God, even to the Father, 
from whom he received it, having previously put down all rule 
and all authority, and power." He farther remarks, that " the 
distinction between the absolute, universal, and everlasting king- 
dom of God, the governor of all, and the mediatorial kingdom 
of Christ, as instituted for the benefit of fallen man, is every 
where implied in the Scriptures. After the judgment, this 
kingdom will be terminated. Christ will, in human nature, 
retain peculiar authority over his redeemed people, and, as 
one with the Father, he will, with him and the Holy Spirit, 
reign, one God over all, blessed forevermore."f Perhaps the 
opinions of no other uninspired man are entitled to more 
weight, on the general drift of Scripture, than are his whose 
words I have just repeated. Whitby, as quoted by the 
writer last named, observes, that the exercise of his mediato- 
rial authority Christ " shall then lay down, when all things are 
subdued to him ;" and that no other kingdom or dominion will 
be " exercised in the celestial state, but what is essential to 

* Family Expositor. f See his Couimentaryi 

11 



122 zion's pathway. 

the whole Godhead." Macknight, in his Notes on the Epistles, 
presents essentially the same idea as the preceding : " Christ 
will deliver up the mediatorial kingdom, after the judgment." 
Some one, in the Cottage Bible, comments in this manner on 
the passage we are reviewing : " The mediatorial kingdom — 
an allusion to the care of Roman viceroys or governors of 
provinces, who, when their administration was ended, deliv- 
ered up their government into the hand of the emperor." Dr. 
Appleton, in a discourse on the universal reign of Christ, 
when speaking with special reference to the mediatorship, 
says, that " the administration of this kingdom will con- 
tinue in the hands of Christ, until the great designs of infinite 
wisdom are accomplished, at which time it will revert back to 
its original source, even to God the Father;" and these 
designs he supposes will be accomplished at the close of the 
present economy ; that is, when the general judgment shall 
have taken place. The opinion of Dr. Knapp is in these 
words : " It appears, that the government which Christ, as a 
man, administers in heaven, will continue only while the pres- 
ent constitution of the world lasts."* Selections from the 
writings of other distinguished theologians, who agree in sen- 
timent with these, might be adduced, — but enough has been 
advanced to show what is the first interpretation. The twen- 
ty-fifth and twenty-eighth verses of the same chapter seem to 
corroborate the correctness of the foregoing exegesis : " For 
he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 
And, when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the 
Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under 
him, that God may be all in all." Here, it appears, that a 
particular end is to be obtained by the mediatorship of Christ* 
which, having been secured, the office itself is to be annihi- 
lated. 

The second exposition also regards reiog, "the end," as 

* Theol. Vol. II., p. 216. 



JESUS CHRIST. 123 

the close of the present order of things. But it does not 
consider by Saodsiar, "kingdom," to be meant the media- 
torial. " The kingdom spoken of is the dominion which the 
enemies of God and his people have usurped, and which 
Christ shall eventually restore or reestablish to the Father, 
by putting down all opposition to .his supreme dominion." In 
support of this interpretation, its advocates argue, that though 
the mediatorial kingdom be delegated, it is not necessarily lim- 
ited, and that as Mediator, Christ " may ever live and reign 
the glorious medium of blessings to his people ; the unceasing 
object of their love and worship, to the eternal glory of God 
the Father." That the Lord Jesus will not cease to reign as 
Mediator, is thought to be shown by many passages of Scrip- 
ture. God's promise to David, that his throne should be 
established forever, is cited in proof. See 2 Sam. 7:16. We 
find also that the Lord, by his prophets, predicting the 
coming of the Messiah, declares that the kingdom to be 
established shall never be destroyed. " His dominion is an 
everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his 
kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." Dan. 7 : 14. 
Moreover, the angel Gabriel, foretelling the birth of the 
Saviour, says, " Of his kingdom there shall be no end." Luke, 
1 : 33. Furthermore, to the Lamb is ascribed everlasting 
honor in various parts of the last book in the Bible. " To 
him be glory and dominion forever and ever." Rev. 1 : 6. 
" Blessing and honor, and glory and power, be unto him that sit- 
teth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever." Rev. 
5 : 13. Here the Mediator and the Father are associated in the 
reception of praise. It is definitely said that Christ shall reign 
forever, as in the following quotation : " The kingdoms of this 
world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, 
and he shall reign forever and ever." Rev. 11 : 15. Such are 
some portions of the strong scriptural testimony urged in sup- 
port of the second interpretation of 1 Cor. 15 : 24 If to this 



124 zion's pathway. 

view, it be objected that the twenty-fifth and twenty-eighth 
verses of the same chapter are clearly opposed to it ; its ad- 
vocates would, perhaps, reply, that the declaration, " He must 
reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet," does not 
necessarily imply that he will then cease to exercise kingly 
authority, for this text teaches simply that Christ will certain- 
ly reign unto the period in which all his foes are made his 
footstool ; therefore, none need think otherwise. The word, 
till, evidently does not, of itself, always limit time. Jehovah 
says to his ancient people, " Surely, this iniquity shall not 
be purged from you till ye die." Isa. 22 : 14. Now we are 
not to infer that when those transgressors should leave the 
earth, their sin would depart from them. Again ; to the ob- 
jection, that in the twenty-eighth verse it says, " And when all 
things are subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself 
be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God 
may be all in all," it is rejoined that this language implies no 
greater subjection in the Son than is true of him as Mediator ; 
it only asserts that there will be, subsequently to the general 
judgment, the same or a similar subordination of Christ to the 
Father, which characterizes the mediatorial reign,* 

Perhaps it is perfectly presumptuous for the writer to offer 
a word in respect to the expositions here brought to view. What 
does he know of that endless period subsequent to the last 
judgment ? Yet, a few suggestions strike him as not unworthy 
a place in these pages. They will harm no one. In regard, 
then, to those interpretations which have been set before my 
readers, the first has the preference in my own mind, for the 
following, among other reasons. (1.) It is the more obvious 
one. The common student of the Scriptures would be likely 
to adopt it. God gave the Bible for precisely this class. He 
never intended his revelation should be a sealed book to those 
who meekly consult its leaves, and fervently pray to be led 

* See Biblical Kepository for Oct., 1839, pages 439 — 449. 



JESUS CHRIST. 125 

into the truth. (2.) This exposition is the one ordinarily 
given by judicious commentators on the Scriptures.. The 
other savors a little too much of speculation. Many are the 
discoveries professedly, of late years, in religion, and of course 
new forms of exegesis are given to the volume that contains 
our holy faith. Old opinions are discarded, as unfit for these 
latter days. The writer, however, is not at all ashamed to 
express far more confidence in the opinions of pious men who 
studied the Bible fifty or a hundred years since, than in any 
of the modern destroyers of established doctrines. (S.) It is 
evident that the mediatorial dispensation is peculiar ; that it 
was instituted for a specific purpose ; and when this shall be 
accomplished, the office itself will doubtless be terminated. 
The belief that it will close at the end of the present economy, 
is truly plausible. All the redeemed will then have been gath- 
ered into heaven. Why should not the Lord's elect, from 
every part of his universe, be admitted into the same relation 
to Jehovah ? A mediation will no longer be needed when the 
ransomed are all welcomed to their Father's house. (4.) That 
construction, which must be given to the twenty-fifth and twen- 
ty-eighth verses of the fifteenth chapter of 1 Cor., in order to 
sustain the second exposition, appears to be forced, and, of 
course, unauthorized. Besides, those texts which are thought 
specially to favor the latter of the two views, may be explained 
naturally according to the first. " The delivering up of the 
kingdom will not put an end to it, but eternally establish it in a 
new and more glorious form. Christ shall not cease to reign, 
though the mode of his administration be different ; though his 
mediatorial kingdom shall cease, the effects of it will remain 
forever." Comforting is the thought that whatever shall be 
the precise condition of the mediatorship of Christ after the 
general judgment, it will be perfectly satisfactory to himself, 
also to his people, and such as eternally to reflect the highest 
glory on the Godhead. 
11* 



126 zion's pathway. 



THE FIRST RESURRECTION. 



Speculation is now exceedingly rife, upon the doctrine of 
Christ's second coming. Daily, some persons are directing 
their eyes toward the heavens in expectation of his speedy 
appearing. Another class, though not quite as sure that his 
advent is at hand, despair of seeing the world improve 
morally, till he actually commences a personal reign upon the 
earth. It is not my design to examine any of the many 
theories connected with this general subject ; but simply to 
comment upon one passage of Scripture used in support of the 
sentiment, that the Redeemer is yet to live among men. It 
occurs in Rev. 20 : 4, " And they lived and reigned with 
Christ a thousand years." Two questions are naturally sug- 
gested by these words. Who are the persons here named ? 
What is meant by their living and reigning with Christ ? 

1. The persons. Who they are, may be learned from the 
very verse in which their living and reigning are mentioned. 
"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment 
was given unto them ; and I saw the souls of them that were 
beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God, 
and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, 
neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in 
their hands." Two classes of individuals appear to be here 
specified ; though the evidence that such is the fact, seems 
less clear in our translation, than it does in the original. That 
the martyrs for Christ are pointed out is obvious, for they are 
those " beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of 
God." The phrase " and which had not worshipped the beast," 
would more correctly exhibit the original, were the term 
olziveg, translated which, rendered whosoever, and thus the two 
classes named in the original, would be made visible in the 
rendering. One of these is composed of the martyrs, and the 



THE FIRST RESURRECTION. 127 

other, of those who had stood firm in the service of God, but 
who had not been called to seal their faith with their blood. 
In the latter class may be included all the devoted servants of 
the Most High, from the actual origin of the human family, 
down to the period intended, for none of these have wor- 
shipped the beast or borne his image. It is not affirmed that 
no interpretation less comprehensive can be true ; but the term 
itself admits of a use, equally unlimited. Two classes of be- 
lievers are doubtless designated, and not the martyrs simply, 
as, if I mistake not, has sometimes been intimated. 

2. Their living and reigning. Some interpreters think that 
the persons specified, are to be literally raised from the dead, 
at the commencement of the period termed " the millennium." 
A part of those who thus hold, maintain, that the raised are to 
dwell with Christ in heaven ; and others suppose he will de- 
scend, and live with them on the earth, or at least not far 
removed from it, in the aerial regions. But what intimation is 
there in connection with the passage, that the Redeemer will 
sojourn again, for any length of time on this globe, or nearer 
to it, than he now dwells ? Does such an idea find support at 
all, in the sublime representations of the holy seer ? Is there 
the least shadow of such a sentiment stated by him ? True, 
the reign of Christ for .a thousand years, is to exhibit certain 
characteristics which it had not previously, and would not sub- 
sequently, to the specific period. The entire world shall yield 
him homage ; his truth will be triumphant, and his name be 
known and adored by the nations ; so generally shall his praise 
be sung, that the exceptions will be few. 

Why is a literal resurrection of the bodies of martyrs and 
others argued from what the apostle says ? Nothing is directly 
stated concerning bodies, " I saw the souls," etc. And where ? 
In heaven, the place to which the spirit of the saint goes 
directly, on leaving its clayey tabernacle. What is that logic 
worth, which jumps to the conclusion, that the saints of a cer- 



128 zion's pathway. 

tain class, if not of all classes, will be raised as to thei • bodies, 
because John, in vision, saw their souls in heaven ? Perhaps, 
however, the belief that there will be a literal resurrection at 
the opening of the millennium, is not based on what was seen by 
the apostle in heaven, but on the declarations of the sacred 
writer, in verses following the one in which he speaks of see- 
ing the souls. " But the rest of the dead lived not again, till 
the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrec- 
tion." Does not this imply, that the rest of the dead will live 
again, when the thousand years have expired, that is, immedi- 
ately on its termination ? Yet, does not the statement appear 
in close connection with the passage under consideration, that 
there will be a period of some length, subsequent to the millen- 
nium, prior to the general resurrection ? If we claim that the 
first resurrection is literal, then why not admit that the second 
is literally to occur, when the millennium closes ? This con- 
clusion is however precluded. The entire theory of a first 
literal resurrection, is perhaps based on the use of the term 
uvaaraartg, with its qualifying epithet 77^wt?/, translated first 
resurrection. But what is the usus loquendi of this word ? 
In the Septuagint, avauxaaiq is used in Lam. 3 : 62, to denote 
a rising up, as contrasted with a sitting down. (See Eng. 
Bible, ver. 63.) It occurs also in Zephaniah, 3 : 8, and ex- 
presses the rising up of the Lord — " until the day that I rise 
up to the prey." It was said of the infant Jesus, u This child 
is set for the falling and rising up, avaaxaviv, of many in 
Israel. IJqmti] often denotes rank, dignity. There is no ob- 
jection to taking it in its primary import. This resurrection 
is first in respect to another ; but it is not necessary, that both 
be precisely of the same nature, in order that one be first and 
the other last. The first and second death differ in their 
natures. " Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first 
resurrection ; on such, the second death hath no power, but 
they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and reign with him 



THE FIRST RESURRECTION. 129 

a thousand years." Nothing appears here, compelling us to 
adopt the idea of a literal resurrection, unless it be the term 
resurrection itself ; but we have seen that this is employed in 
a different manner elsewhere. Does not the passage just 
quoted, when carefully examined, discountenance the literal con- 
struction ? The raised reign a thousand years, and by impli- 
cation then cease. Now if the martyrs and saints are raised 
literally to reign with Christ, is it not intimated, that when 
they cease to reign, they return to the condition in which they 
were previous to their reigning ? If, then, they were literally 
raised in order to reign, will they not literally return to their 
former state, when they cease to reign ? But how can a body, 
glorified for a thousand years, become again the occupant of a 
grave ? It will not answer for us to interpret one part of a 
verse literally, and another part figuratively, because our own 
preconceived notions are best sustained by dealing with the 
holy oracles in this way. Truth should be the aim of our in- 
quiries. 

What seems to the writer the true and only authorized ex- 
position of the passage, wholly rejects the idea of a literal 
resurrection of any of the dead, either at the commencement* 
or during the continuance of the millennium ) ; nor does it 
admit the doctrine of a personal reign of the Messiah among 
men. Jesus is to appear in a visible form but once more? 
within sight of our globe, and that event will occur at the close 
of the present economy, when all the merciful designs of 
infinite Wisdom concerning the earth are completed. Martyrs 
and other eminent Christians will live and reign with Christ, 
in the great joy which their happy spirits shall experience in 
heaven, as they behold their Lord swaying his sceptre over 
every nation, having subdued the kingdoms unto himself. 
They will likewise reign with him on earth during the illustri- 
ous period designated by the term, a thousand years, according 
to the sense in which Elijah dwelt here in the days of the fore- 



130 zion's pathway. 

runner of Jesus. It had been predicted, that this prophet 
would come before the Lord, and so he did, as Christ himself 
affirmed, and yet it was only in spirit and power : " But I say 
unto you, that Elias is come already, and they knew him not, 
but they have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Then the 
disciples understood, that he spake unto them of John the Bap- 
tist." Matt. 17 : 12, 13. Of the pious who depart previous to 
the arrival of the new and illustrious era in Zion, when all shall 
know the Lord, it is also foretold that they will then live 
again in the lives of their successors. Their example shall be 
copied by the myriads and millions, who will people this planet 
during that wonderful and predicted period. Christian and 
martyr will be precious terms, and the memory of those who 
have shone as lights in the church of earlier generations, be 
sweetly embalmed in numberless hearts. Perhaps, too, all 
who have been eminent for holiness and activity, will be em- 
ployed by the King of Zion as his special agents, going forth 
on errands of love, visiting, though invisibly, the habitations 
of men. Why may there not be as much blessedness in such 
a spiritual resurrection as can be in one more literal, or rather 
I should say, physical, for I suppose a literal rendering 
requires that we understand a spiritual resurrection ? If this 
must be styled a figurative interpretation, then surely it accords 
more nearly with almost the entire book, in which the passage 
expounded occurs, than would one which might be named 
literal. Especially does it harmonize with the context in 
which the passage is found. The twentieth chapter of Rev. 
taken as a whole, seems to be utterly opposed to what some 
are pleased to call a literal exposition. " But the rest of the 
dead lived not again, until the thousand years were finished." 
Now, " the rest of the dead "are either exclusively, or in part, 
the wicked ; and to revert once more to what has been pre- 
viously advanced, does not the language imply, that they will 
live, so soon as the thousand years are terminated ? yet there 



BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD. 131 

will be no literal resurrection for some time, perhaps for hun- 
dreds of years. The ungodly, however, will again live in the 
lives of wicked men. There may also be a race of inferior 
Christiansen whom the spirit of the martyrs seems not to dwell. 
Finally, the Scriptures present the raising of the dead as a single 
grand event ; the departed of all ages and of every period in 
the world's history, shall stand at once before God, and be 
judged. 

BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD. 

Jehovah pitied ruined man, but mere pity could not pardon. 
The law had been broken, and it must quench its naming sword 
in the blood of the sinner, or in that of a substitute. Sacri 
fices were early instituted ; they, however, could only point to 
something future — prefigure Christ. 

" Not all the blood of beasts 
On Jewish altars slain, 
Could give the guilty conscience peace, 
Or take away the stain." 

Heathen altars smoke in vain ; pagans may as well leave 
their flocks and herds to roam in the fields as to give them in 
sacrifice ; their priests are appointed to no purpose. After 
rivers of blood have been shed, sins are still unpardoned. The 
Lamb of God must bleed. Without the shedding of his blood, 
there was no remission. Christ came to be an offering for sin, 
to die on the cross, by the hands of men more fierce than lions 
and more cruel than tigers. On thy summit, Calvary, was 
paid the price of man's redemption. Thou wast the altar on 
which the Lord's victim was sacrificed for the sins of the whole 
world. 

"Were repentance sufficient to secure pardon, would Jesus 
have died ? Does Jehovah make unreasonable demands ? He 
did require the sacrifice of Christ. Listen to the preaching of 



132 zion's pathway. 

the Saviour's harbinger. What did he teach respecting the 
efficacy of repentance ? Did he point the weeping sinner 
direct to heaven, saying, your tears are enough to secure an 
inheritance there ? — nothing more is necessary — God demands 
nothing more. Was this the course of John ? Verily it was not. 
He said, "Behold the Lamb of God ! " Weeping cannot save men 
from hell. Far from it ; penitence does not purchase forgive- 
ness. For many thousands of years, altars had pointed to the 
tragic scenes on Calvary, as destined in the councils of eternity 
to take place. "In s ipj ort of the doctrine of the atonement 
there is more authority than for any other revealed in the 
Scriptures. It was taught in the beginning of the patriarchal 
dispensation, in the words of the promise, and in the institution 
of sacrifices. It is enforced by the uniform, concurrent testimony 
of the types, prophecies, opinions, customs, and traditions of 
the Jewish Church." 

Whence then the origin of the doctrine that repentance 
alone secures pardon ? The Old Testament does not teach it, 
and the New begins by directing us to the Lamb of God ; as 
it opens, so it continues even to the end. Jesus Christ and 
him crucified constitute the gospel. Take away the atonement, 
and nothing remains on which a sinner can base a reasonable 
hope of acceptance with God. " It is the peculiar foundation 
and principal doctrine of the Christian church in all ages." 
That then must be an anti-christian church which rejects the 
atonement. No wonder need be excited if its members show 
affinities for every species of error now burdening the earth. 

" Come to Calvary's holy mountain, 
Sinners, ruined by the fall ; 
Here a pure and healing fountain 
Flows to you, to me, to all." 

What virtue does thy blood possess, O Immanuel ! It can 
cleanse a world of sinners. Thou Lamb of God, give us a 



BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD. 133 

sense of our perishing need of thee. Help us, weary and 
heavy laden, to hasten for the obtaining of thine Almighty aid. 
The Father sent the Son, but equally true is it, that the 
latter came of his own free will. When the sacred Three con- 
sulted in reference to man's redemption, when it was asked 
who shall go as Redeemer, the Son, the second person in the 
Trinity, offered himself. Behold, then, this same Being veiled 
in flesh. He has come to make himself an offering for sin, he 
has left the bosom of the Father and the glory of heaven, 
because his heart overflowed with pity for man. Amazing 
love ! how great the condescension ! From the throne of the 
universe, he comes down to earth ! No tongue can tell, no> 
pen describe, the emotions of love which the Saviour felt. 

" He saw our race in ruin lie, 
And pity brought him down." 

In leaving heaven, he left honor ; the hosts above bowed to 
him and delighted to reverence him as their King, and were 
swift to do his will. He came on no errand of ambition — 

" Nothing brought him from above, 
Nothing but redeeming love." 

Sinner, behold the Lamb of God, To-day, he invites you 
to look unto him. Listen to his alluring language. I am the 
only begotten of the Father — I descended from the celestial 
abode — leaving the glory which was eternally mine — and 
condescended to endure poverty, pain, reproach, and death for 
you. Hear my proclamations of love and mercy. See in me 
the greatest pledge of the Father's tender regard. Yon flam- 
ing sword demanded your blood, but I am come to give it 
mine. I am the promised Messiah. To me the types and 
shadows of ancient times all referred. Abraham and Jacob, 
Moses and David, Isaiah and Daniel, and all the prophets of 
the Lord expected my coming ; and, at the appointed season 
12 



134 zion's pathway. 

I appeared on the earth. For you I wept and prayed, and 
suffered and bled. Behold me as the only refuge for the soul ; 
I can save and I destroy. Sinner, can you slight these calls 
from Christ ? Can you treat with neglect his unbounded 
kindness ? 

THE HOLY SPIRIT. 

For correct views respecting the Holy Spirit, we must con- 
sult the divine records. No other source of information has 
ever been placed within our reach. What they contain, may 
be classed under two heads ; the personality and operations of 
the Spirit. 

The Personality of the Spirit. 

By a person is meant an individual ; and by asserting the 
personality of the Holy Spirit, is set forth the fact, that the 
Spirit is not a mere influence, as some affirm, but as really an 
agent, as is the Father, or the Son. Proof of his personality, 
must be proof of his supreme divinity, as will appear in the 
discussion. 

Christ, as he was leaving the earth to ascend the throne of 
mediation in heaven, instituted what is termed Christian bap- 
tism. It was to be a perpetual ordinance in his Church. He 
directed that the rite be invariably performed, " in the name 
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Matt. 
28 : 19. The latter of these terms is entirely synonymous with 
Holy Spirit. 

If, now, the personality of the last of the three mentioned be 
denied, then individuals are baptized in the name of two persons 
and of one influence ; or, if we reject the divinity of Christ, 
they are baptized in the name of God, of a creature, and of an 
influence. Does this appear to be the fact ? Should we 
naturally adopt such views of the passage ? Does not the 
Redeemer, in these words, clearly teach that the Father, Son, 



THE HOLY SPIRIT. 135 

and Holy Ghost, are distinct persons ? The Spirit is here 
" associated in such a manner with two real and divine per- 
sons, as would render the connection unaccountable, if a real 
person were not understood in the third, as well as in the two 
former instances." This direction of the great Teacher, is 
seemingly decisive on the point of the Spirit's personality. It 
has but one obvious interpretation, and wherefore should its 
plain terms be forced into another signification ? Was it not 
intended to proclaim to the world the triune nature of the God- 
head ? But there are many other texts bearing on this subject. 
Our Lord on the evening previous to his crucifixion said : 

" And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another 
Comforter, that he may abide with you forever." John, 14:16. 
"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the 
Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, 
and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have 
said unto yon." 14:26. "When the Comforter is come, 
whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit 
of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of 
me." 15 : 26. In these verses, " the Spirit is evidently 
spoken of as a distinct person from Christ. He is one Com- 
forter, and the Spirit, who, after his departure, should come 
from the Father, 13 another." An able writer observes, that 
one of the titles of the Messiah among the Jews was, that of 
Comforter. 

God the Father, officially stands at the head of the work of 
redemption ; the Son and the Spirit are, officially, inferior to 
him ; just as an ambassador to a foreign court is officially in- 
ferior to the prince or president sending him forth, though, in 
many respects, they may be equals. The Father sent the Son, 
who, having performed his mission, returned to heaven ; the 
Spirit came to remain and carry forward the enterprise of hu- 
human salvation. The latter is, officially, subject to both the 
former ; they order him forth to prosecute the measures demand- 



136 zion's pathway. 

ed and secured by the atonement. In this sense he proceeds 
from both the Father and the Son, and not as originating from 
them. He comes as an Agent, with attributes for the perform- 
ance of various services, among which are the imparting of 
consolations to Christians, abiding with them, convicting the im- 
penitent, and making some of them new creatures in Christ. 
Distinct personality is implied in the commission borne by the 
Spirit. The duties assigned him are such as belong to a per- 
sonal agent. 

Instances in which the Spirit is exhibited as an influence 
are perfectly consistent with his personality ; but it is not con- 
sistent to represent the Spirit as a person, if there be nothing 
but an influence. A person can exert an influence, but a 
mere influence cannot be a person. 

The personal pronouns in the above quotations are applied 
to the Spirit of God, in such a manner as cannot be accounted 
for, except upon the obvious supposition of the intention of 
our Saviour to represent the Spirit of God, under the charac- 
ter of a person. 

We find, in 2 Cor. 13 : 14, these words: " The grace of the 
Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion 
of the Holy Ghost, be with you all." Is not the Lord Jesus 
Christ a person ? Is not God a person ? The fact in each 
case is unquestionable. By what laws of language shall we 
deny the personality of the Spirit ? Established rules of 
interpretation should be as rigidly observed as are those of 
mathematical calculations, in order that we may arrive at 
correct results in our investigation of truth. 

Another, but not less forcible argument for the personality 
of the Spirit, is derived from Matt. 12 : 31, 32. " Wherefore I 
say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be for- 
given unto men ; but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost 
shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a 
word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him ; but 



THE HOLT SPIRIT. 137 

whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be 
forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to 
come." Evidently, "blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is 
represented as distinct from all other kinds of blasphemy." 
These words teach, "that men may blaspheme the Father, 
and that they may blaspheme the Son, and yet, on the terms 
of the gospel, be forgiven ; but that, if they blaspheme the 
Holy Ghost, they cannot be forgiven. Consequently, the 
Holy Ghost is not a mere influence or attribute of the Father, 
or of the Son ; for if he were, to blaspheme that influence or 
attribute, would be the same thing as to blaspeme the Father, 
or the Son. But a distinction is here made by our Saviour, be- 
tween that blasphemy which is against the Holy Ghost, and all 
other kinds, wherewithsoever they shall blaspheme. Since, there- 
fore, blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is distinct from that 
against the Father, or the Son, the Holy Ghost is distinct from 
either of the other adorable persons in the Trinity ; and being 
one against whom men are liable to commit blasphemy, this 
distinction implies personal or voluntary intelligent agency." * 
Peter said to Ananias, " Why hath Satan filled thine heart 
to lie to the Holy Ghost ? " Acts, 5 : 3. The same apostle 
immediately adds, " Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto 
God." Uniting this question and assertion together, " theolo- 
gians have, in all ages, inferred that the Holy Ghost is God." f 
But, even if it could be shown that the conclusion of divines 
touching this passage, has been broader than their premises, 
one thing is certain ; " Sin can be committed against nothing 
but a person." Wherefore, as sin can be committed against 
the Spirit, we must admit that the Spirit is a person. Further- 
more, if the Spirit be a person, he is no less than the third in 
the adorable Godhead, for surely he is neither human nor 
angelic, nor simply super-angelic. 



* Doc. Tract, No. 10, p. 4. f Bloomfield. 

12* 



138 zion's pathway. 



The Operations of the Spirit. 

Should it appear that the Holy Ghost performs works which 
none but a personal agent can execute, then the logical deduc- 
tion must be, that he is a personal agent ; moreover, if it be 
found that the nature of the works is such, as to require an 
infinite agent for their accomplishment, then the inference is ir- 
resistible, that the Holy Spirit is an infinite Agent, is really God. 

Now it may be laid down, as an impregnable position, that 
" the particular acts, which are ascribed to the Holy Spirit and 
its inspirations, are such as are totally inconsistent with any 
idea but that of his being a person." * Our resort is to the 
Scriptures ; and let us carefully pass from page to page, in 
the divine volume, that we may ascertain what testimony they 
bear, in regard to the Spirit, whose nature and offices we are 
seeking to understand. 

"When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of 
the Lord shall lift up a standard against him." Isa. 59 : 19. 
" And it was revealed unto him, by the Holy Ghost, that he 
should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ." 
Luke, 2 : 26. " For the Holy Ghost shall teach you, in the 
same hour, what ye ought to say." Luke, 12: 12. "And 
when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of 
righteousness, and of judgment." John, 16 : 8. "When he, 
the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth." 
verse 13. " The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by 
the Holy Ghost." Romans, 5:5. " The Spirit searcheth all 
things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth 
the things of a man, save the Spirit of a man, which is in him. 
Even so, the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of 
God." 1 Cor. 2: 10, 11. " Grieve not the Holy Spirit of 
God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." 
Eph. 4 : 30. " God hath, from the beginning, chosen you to 

* Kobert Hall. 



THE HOLT SPIRIT. 139 

salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the 
truth." 2 Thess. 2: 13. "He saved us, by the washing of 
regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." Tit. 3 : 5. 
" Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy 
Ghost." 2 Peter, 1:21. "He that hath an ear, let him hear 
what the Spirit saith unto the churches." Rev. 2 : 29. 

These are some of the numerous representations, touching 
the operations of the Holy Spirit, as his acts are recorded for 
our instruction. What is their obvious import ? Is the con- 
clusion forced upon us, that the Spirit is nothing but an influ- 
ence ? Rather, must we not say, " the powers attributed to 
him are such, that they can belong only to a divine person ?."* 

Christ was set apart by the Holy Ghost, for his special 
work in the plan of redemption. That divine Being came 
down upon him at his entrance upon public life. The Spirit 
led him into the wilderness to be tried there ; and when he 
returned, and began his ministry, he read, with direct appli- 
cation to himself, the following language : "The Spirit of the 
Lord God is upon me ; because the Lord hath anointed me 
to preach," etc. Isa. 61 : 1. A special anointing occurred 
at the time of the Saviour's baptism. " Lo, the heavens were 
opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending 
like a dove and lighting upon him." 

The mission of the Son to earth being completed, the sal- 
vation of the world is intrusted to the Spirit. Christ's apos- 
tles were not permitted to leave Jerusalem, after the ascension 
of their Master, till they had been endowed for their work by 
the Holy Ghost, which event, previously predicted, occurred 
on the day of Pentecost. Their subsequent ministry was suc- 
cessful, or otherwise, just as the Spirit blessed them, or the 
contrary. When he works by it, human instrumentality be- 
comes eminently useful in extending the triumphs of truth. 
His presence being withheld, planting and watering secure no 

* Bishop Tomlin. 



140 zion's pathway. 

increase. " The church is taught to depend entirely on him 
for needed grace, to the end of time." Zion's prosperity is 
wholly in his power. No agency besides, regenerates and 
sanctifies the heart, none other demolishes the dark systems 
of error and superstition. For the heart to renew itself, is 
" as impossible as to have been the author of its own exist- 
ence." * The Spirit is the author of the means of grace — the 
gospel is his institution ; for he inspired men to write the will of 
Heaven. All may, however, be attributed to the Father, or the 
Son ; to either, or to both, conjointly ; and the fact that the same 
divine works are ascribed to each of the persons in the God- 
head, shows that they are " the same in substance, equal in 
power and glory," and should be worshipped with like honors. 

The Argument summed up. 

In concluding this discussion in respect to the Spirit, the 
writer avails himself of an excellent summary, contained in 
a volume much used, f The language, however, in the quo- 
tation, varies somewhat from the original. 

The masculine pronoun is employed in speaking of the Holy 
Spirit. He is described as having a will to choose, understand- 
ing to know, and power to execute his purposes; is represented 
as grieved, as interceding, commanding, forbidding, reproving, 
testifying, instructing. We are baptized into the name of the 
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit ; and as the first two are per- 
sons, so also is the last. We conclude, therefore, the Holy Spirit 
is a distinct, intelligent person, and not a quality, or attribute. 

Again ; sin against the Holy Ghost is unpardonable ; he 
is the author of miracles, of spiritual gifts ; he sanctifies hearts, 
is omnipotent, omniscient, and eternal. Sometimes he is called 
God ; honor and worship are rendered to him. Therefore he 
is a divine person. 

* Leighton. f Comp. Comm., Vol. V., p. 650. 



THE HOLY SPIRIT. 141 

Moreover, the Spirit is distinguished from the Father and 
the Son, by the form of baptism, and by the apostolic benedic- 
tion. He is said to be sent by the Father and the Son, and 
therefore is neither one nor the other of these. It is by him 
that he hath access unto the Father ; hence he is not the Father. 
The distinction of the three persons was made prominent at the 
baptism of Christ, for they were all present ; the Father, by a 
voice, saying, " This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well 
pleased," the Spirit, " in a bodily shape like a dove." We con- 
clude, therefore, that the Holy Ghost is a divine person, yet 
in some way to be distinguished from God the Father, and 
God the Son. 

The Doctrine of the Trinity comprehensively expressed. 

With reference to the entire subject, briefly considered in a 
number of the preceding pages, namely, the Trinity, the whole 
may, perhaps, be comprehensively expressed thus : But one 
God exists, yet " there are two persons, each of whom, with 
the Father, we are led to consider as God, and to ascribe to 
all the three, distinct personal properties." 

Some of the terms employed in theological discussions, per- 
taining to the Trinity, are not, it is true, found in the Scrip- 
tures ; still, no valid objection can be urged against them on 
this account, provided the ideas conveyed are biblical. Tech- 
nical words are necessary in every science. So established are 
certain modes of expression, concerning the divine nature, that 
whoever rejects them exposes himself to well-founded sus- 
picion. It is better to let the ancient religious landmarks re- 
main. The orthodox fathers were probably as wise as have 
been any of their successors. No candid person will stumble 
over the formularies embodied in evangelical creeds. Every 
religious society, like other organizations, must have certain ar- 
ticles of compact. If there be no rules of agreement, it will not 



142 zion's pathway. 

be known who do or do not harmonize in sentiment. He just- 
ly excites suspicion, who objects to long established modes of 
presenting any doctrinal truth. We are not wise, but foolish 
and wicked, when we seek to unsettle the faith of men, because, 
in our estimation, an injudicious use has been made of certain 
words. 

General Observations on the Trinity. 

Doubtless we can perplex ourselves with the mysteries of 
the Trinity, and so we may with those of the unity of God. 
We have no means of information, in regard to either, except 
what the Divine Being has given us. The great facts of both 
are clearly revealed ; and, with a humble mind, a ready recep- 
tion will not be withheld. But a proud heart repels the most 
important doctrines of the Bible. The secret of the Lord is 
with the meek. 

Experiments to build up religious societies and churches on 
other principles than those embracing, as fundamentals, the 
doctrines of the existence and perfect equality of three per- 
sons in the Godhead, must fail, — have they not ? The bless- 
ing of the Triune is indispensable to the success of such 
enterprises as seek the good of man and the glory of the Al- 
mighty ; that, however, never rests, where the true nature of 
the Godhead is not acknowledged. If the rejecters of the 
Trinity would show their power to help humanity, they must 
plant themselves among the heathen and there try an experi- 
ment. But pagans cannot be improved by them. 

To all who are exercised with sceptical feelings in regard 
to the true character of Christ, the personality and divinity of 
the Spirit, I would say, acquaint yourselves with your own ill- 
desert, and you will feel that the doctrine of the Father, Son, 
and Holy Ghost, is essential to your present peace and future 
happiness. Those made spiritually alive, know that it required 



THE HOLY SPIRIT. 143 

omnipotence to quicken them. A convicted sinner desires none 
but an infinite Saviour ; and the true Christian acknowledges 
a Triune God, Father, Son and Spirit. 

Some probably there are, who, from circumstances beyond 
their own control, are associated with the deniers of Christ's 
true divinity, yet trust in him alone for salvation. Were they 
to become favorably situated, for receiving the truth as it is in 
Jesus, no longer would they allow their influence to be against 
a doctrine which they now, in heart, believe. 

Why, we are asked, is not the Trinity brought to view in 
that model prayer of our Lord ? In reply, we say, that it is 
most certainly included by implication. The name of God, 
which we are to pray may be hallowed, embraces what reve- 
lation makes known concerning the nature of Jehovah. Nor 
is it an objection to this interpretation, that the word Father is 
the immediate antecedent to name. All the persons in the Su- 
preme Being constitute only one God, who is the Father of the 
human family. As a farther answer, we direct attention to the 
illustration of this form of prayer, contained in the entire Scrip- 
tures of the New Testament, especially the Epistles, those in- 
spired developments of the brief discourses of Jesus. He left 
much for the apostles to explain. 

The warfare against the doctrine of the Trinity was early 
begun and has often been fiercely waged. Wherefore are some 
so hostile to a sentiment, the practical influence of which has 
never been injurious to any one ? Trinitarians are ever the 
most enthusiastic laborers in benevolence. Nearly, if not quite 
all the sacrifices made among men for the world's good, are un- 
dergone by those who believe unwaveringly in the supreme di- 
vinity of Christ. Ah, their opponents see that if the doctrine 
of the Trinity be held, then themselves must be regarded as 
fearfully depraved and hopelessly lost, except as sovereign 
mercy may interpose in their behalf. But their self-righteous- 
ness forbids them to receive, as fact, what so abases them- 
selves. 



144 zion's pathway. 



THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD. 

None can reasonably deny that the volume by us named 
the Bible, is the production of mind. Surely it did not come into 
existence by chance, for it bears unequivocal marks of intel- 
ligent design. Some Being, then, is its author. But, 

The Devil is not the Author of the Bible. 

Were he possessed of the requisite ability, no motive could 
have induced him to publish it. There is not a chapter in the 
entire book, which favors his unholy aims. Wherefore, had 
the ability to form it been at his command, to undertake such 
a work would have marked him as consummately foolish. He 
is made to appear at decided disadvantage in it from first to 
last, being introduced as a liar, and always represented under 
that character. The utter subversion of his kingdom, on 
earth, is the manifest aim of the wonderful enterprises author- 
ized in the Bible. Hence his great effort has been, in all ages 
since the book was written, to destroy it ; nor will his oppo- 
sition cease till the time specified in the Apocalypse, when an 
angel of the Lord shall bind him and cast him into the bot- 
tomless pit. Thousands of men, not deficient in respect to 
talent, have been employed by the adversary, in successive 
ages, to prove the Scriptures unworthy of confidence, and 
they have toiled unceasingly, and, if success has not crowned 
their labors, the failure is not attributable either to him or to 
them. The devil would not thus seek to destroy his own pro- 
duction. His fierce opposition proves the book not to be one 
of the numerous issues of his press. 

Wicked men did not produce the Bible. 

If, in any age of the world, a company of this class could 
have enjoyed ability sufficient for its production, which is by 






THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD. 145 

no means admitted ever to have been possible, the disposition 
would always have been wanting. The same reasons why 
Satan would not publish such a book, are equally opposed to 
the supposition of their being its authors. Who does not know 
that the greatest hostility to their motives, principles, and 
practices, is apparent in all parts of the Scriptures ? It is 
amazing, that any person, claiming to possess good sense, 
should suggest the idea that the Bible is a work of 
wicked men. They would be most unwise to compose it, 
were they sufficiently intellectual. It is violently opposed to 
them, and contains not a word of consolation for them. The 
rebukes it administers, and the anathemas which it hurls upon 
them, are so terrific and overwhelming, that their very souls 
recoil at its announcements. Bat few of them are willing to 
hear what the Scriptures do say. Those places where the 
Bible is explained, are the last on earth to which the wicked 
love to resort, and the most awful curses that fall from their 
lips, are uttered against it and its heavenly-minded expounders. 

Did wicked men compose the book which they hate, more 
than they hate Satan himself? The suggestion is absurd. 
To make it, seems sufficient to mark him who utters it as ex- 
tremely obtuse in intellect. Wicked men the authors of the 
Bible ! That holy book pours upon all the unholy the quench- 
less fire of God ! 

But I shall not leave this point with barely showing, that 
wicked men would not write the Bible if they could. They 
have no ability to do it. It has always been as certainly out 
of their power to compose such a volume as it would be to 
create the universe. The combined talent of all the ungodly 
who have ever lived, could not produce the first chapter of 
Genesis. I have no fear that I shall express myself extrava- 
gantly in this particular. The conceptions in that chapter are 
not human — they are infinitely above the range of mere 
mortal thought. " In the beginning God created the heaven 
13 



146 zion's pathway. 

and the earth." This verse contains enough to employ the 
mind of a created being through infinite ages. " In the be- 
ginning." When was that time ? Or, rather, at what point 
in eternity was it ? How many millions of years have rolled 
away since the beginning ? Can mortals inform us ? No ! 
Can the angels ? We presume not. " Heaven and earth." 
How much is embraced in the term, Heaven? Who can tell? 
Are wicked men able to answer the question ? No ! They 
have no means of knowing how much is comprehended in that 
word. " Created." What is it to create ? Who can show us 
how God created the heaven and the earth ? We should be 
pleased to meet those, who suppose the Bible was " got up " by 
wicked men, at this first chapter in the book, and hear from 
them an explication of the manner in which the ideas ex- 
pressed in it first entered the minds of the men, who, as they 
suppose, gave it birth. In our day, we see none of the unholy 
bearing about such great ideas as are therein presented. If 
all the original thoughts which have occupied the minds of 
unsanctified men, since the creation of Adam, were consoli- 
dated, they would not be equal to those in the opening chapter 
of the Scriptures. 

Good Men did not originate the Bible. 

If, in any sense, it be their production, they did not give it 
existence on their own authority, for they are honest. But if 
this book be a mere human fabrication, the writers of it were 
dishonest. The volume comes to us as the word of the Lord. 
Hence, if it be not from, him, the writers have deceived us ; 
but good men will not deceive. If, then, good men wrote the 
Bible, they did not write it as a composition of their own ; 
they must have been the penmen of the Lord. Now the lan- 
guage we know to be human, but the Scriptures evidently 
were written by men who supposed themselves acting as the 



THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD. 147 

amanuenses of Jehovah. Were they mistaken ? Is it possi- 
ble, after all, that they exhibited their own thoughts, under the 
impression that the Lord was operating through them ? No ; 
for even good men have ever been incapable of producing such 
a book as the Bible. The characteristics of the volume, ex- 
cepting the mere words in which the thoughts are clothed, are 
not those of any purely earthly writings. True, the thoughts 
of the wise are, at times, introduced, yet the skill with which 
these are selected and arranged, as well as the forms of ex- 
pression in which they appear, are not the offspring of created 
intellect. We are in possession of a variety of writings, the 
product of men distinguished both for learning and piety ; many 
excellent works have been produced by them ; but there is noth- 
ing in them which will compare with the Scriptures. The best 
productions of the ablest and most holy, fall every way inex- 
pressibly short of the contents of the Bible. 



Holy Angels are not the Authors of the Bible. 

Should this high order of intelligences present a volume to 
man, they would not do it by deception. Holy beings cannot 
deceive, for the act of deceiving is not a characteristic of holi- 
ness. But if angels of heaven wrote the Bible, they have 
deceived all to whom their work has been furnished. Though 
we must admit our ignorance of angelic ability, yet we do not 
suppose it possible, even for angels, to produce a book like the 
Bible. We are not, indeed, sufficiently acquainted with their 
talents to judge of what they are capable, still it is not pre- 
sumptuous to suggest the utter improbability that any created 
beings could have produced these writings. Not the least 
reason can be shown why we ought to attribute them to such a 
source. Yet the Scriptures are the production of mind. Who, 
then, is their author ? 



148 zion's pathway. 



The Bible appears to be the Word of God. 

Whether regarded as a whole, or examined in its several 
parts, such is the fact. It is said, that those who have studied 
comparative anatomy, can determine to what species an animal 
belongs by seeing only a single bone, every species being dis- 
tinguishable by having not only general marks of its own, but 
likewise, by being stamped distinctively in the minutice of its 
entire framework. So is the Bible distinct from all other 
books. Not a leaf taken from any part of it can be mistaken, 
by one familiar with writings, for a portion of another book. 
The Bible, however, as a whole, and in its various parts, is not 
more manifestly distinct, than it is divine. It addresses us 
with the highest authority. We feel, when reading it, that 
we are communing with one who is God over all. The deep 
solemnity pervading it, is not elsewhere found. The knowl- 
edge displayed in it, is peculiar to God ; the wisdom exhibited 
is not finite. What subduing energy is conveyed in its unas- 
suming language ! The sinner trembles before it, and the 
saint is transported with unutterable joy. 

The Bible claims to be the Word of God. 

It declares itself to be from him, and demands an acknowl- 
edgment of its claims. Some authors send out their books 
with an apology or a preface, to win the reader's favor. Far 
otherwise is the address of this book. There is no apology on 
its pages ; it has no preface. The first verse contains a bold 
announcement of a fact, and this fact we are to receive without 
cavil or doubt. It is not even intimated, that any one would 
dare question its authority. The word spoken, is uttered with 
the authority of Jehovah. Such is the character of all the 
statements, — they boldly demand our belief. " Thus saith 



THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD. 149 

the Lord," is sometimes prefixed, and this is supposed to be 
sufficient to secure the attention and obedience of those who 
hear, and so it is, if those addressed be not dead in transgres- 
sion. It would be strange, if God should address us with the 
timidity with which one erring creature speaks to his fellows. 
The Almighty has no consciousness of liability to mistake, but 
knows whereof he affirms. Though man should not give him 
credit for truth, the whole universe besides responds to what 
he asserts, and the authority of the booh is evidence that it came 
from God. 

The Bible is proved to be the Word of God. 

By evidence internal and external, by facts, institutions, and 
a great number of the most competent witnesses, — among 
whom are Jesus Christ and his apostles, — the point is ren- 
dered perfectly obvious ; is placed beyond a reasonable doubt. 

The Church has received the Scriptures as infallible truth, 
ever since they were published ; nor has she, at any time, had 
occasion to fear that they are not what they claim to be. In 
every age they have been " mighty through God, to the pull- 
ing down of strong holds." 

Just so far as individuals and communities conform to the 
teachings of this book, they are prosperous and happy. Let 
it be adopted as the only rule of faith ; let its principles be 
acted upon, by all men, under every variety of circumstances ; 
then wars will cease, social feuds be known no more ; fanati- 
cism will die, the race of impostors become extinct, true piety 
prevail, and the millennium bless the world. Then will 
the morning stars again sing, and the sons of God again shout 
for joy over the earth, as they did when it rolled from the 
hands of its Maker, and man stood forth, exultant, in the 
divine image. Here it may be stated, that it is not a primary 
object of the Scriptures, to prove the existence of a Supreme 
13* 



150 zion's pathway. 

Being, but that they, as a whole, and in every part, furnish 
convincing proof that such an Infinite Intelligence does exist. 
Their existence is inexplicable, except on the assumption that 
he exists, for He and none else can be their author. 



HINTS IN REGARD TO REVELATION. 

Science and Revelation. 

Whenever new discoveries have been made in natural 
science, infidelity has hailed the event with joy, as if they 
would prove the Bible unworthy of confidence. But the 
season of such rejoicing has hitherto been invariably short. 
So far are developments of this nature from operating against 
the high claims of the Scriptures, that the truth of what this 
holy book contains, is confirmed by them. Some of the facts 
recorded on the sacred page, are also written on the face of 
nature ; others are engraven on the ancient monuments of 
men, and a class are handed down by tradition, in countries 
where the Bible is not known. This fact is brought to light 
through scientific investigation. As science receives its devo- 
tees principally from those nations where the oracles of God 
have been known, and are to some degree respected, it natu- 
rally occurs that a comparison is generally soon made between 
its trophies and the statements of the Scriptures. Both friends 
and enemies of revelation are eager to ascertain who gains or 
loses by scientific enterprises. 

Science prove the Bible false ! We need entertain no fears 
of this sort. The infidel may be safely challenged to investi- 
gate any and every department of Nature. Astronomy has 
long joined hand in hand with revealed religion. Chemistry 
shows us, written on every drop of water, the pleasing truth, 
God is good. Geology comes not to destroy, but to fulfil; 



THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD. 151 

comes not to take away our Lord, but to tell us of things 
which he has done; things which have been hid from the 
foundation of the world. 

With harmonious voice the believers in the divine origin, 
and in the infallible authority of the Bible may say, — let the 
earth be explored ; go to its centre, ye whose office it is to 
open her wonders; if ceaseless fires there burn, they exist 
because the Deity kindled them at first, and now fans them 
with his own unexpiring breath. If the earth has been trans- 
formed and transformed, with four successive creations and 
three successive extinctions, God has, in each case, been the 
creator and the destroyer. If the mountains have, as geol- 
ogy affirms, been thrown up from the depths of the sea, they 
rise, on that account, none the less sublimely, and it was the 
omnipotent agency of Him who gave us the Bible, that caused 
them to be elevated. 

Let every science be pressed to its utmost extent. To 
collect and classify shells; to investigate the mineral king- 
dom; to analyze and systematize plants of every genus, 
species and variety, from the moss on the wall to the tower- 
ing cedar, is to help unfold the book of nature, which is a 
book of God. He who labors piously and successfully in any 
department of science, is doing good service to his fellow- 
men, and is honoring that Being who is the maker, sustainer, 
and ruler of all things, and who fills immensity with his 
presence. 

The followers of the Lamb can surely have no war with 
the facts and principles of natural religion, for the heavens 
declare the glory of God, and the earth is full of his goodness. 
But believers in Jesus know that it is in vain to look for sal- 
vation any where except to him who died on the cross. " The 
knowledge of man is as the waters, some descending from 
above, some springing from beneath." Let the sons and 
daughters of the Lord study the works of their Maker, ac- 



152 zion's pathway. 

quiring, to the utmost in their power, the wisdom thus attain- 
able ; still, they must remember, that grace comes down like 
the dew and the rain. The means of illumination, afforded 
by the world around us, avail but little when help does not 
descend. We shall grope in moral midnight, if left with no 
other source of light than the earth affords. With a high 
degree of mere mental culture, man may, in spite of his 
acquisitions, terrify the world with his crimes. 



Doubting Revelation is Irrational. 

There would be as much wisdom or wit in denying the 
power of the sun to shine, as in refusing to Christ the ability 
to forgive sins. We may as rationally affirm, that the wind 
never blows, as to assert that the Holy Spirit has never re- 
newed a heart. There is overwhelming proof that the Author 
of nature is likewise the giver of the volume, deemed by 
many sacred and infallible ; and though the credentials with 
which the Bible comes before us vary, in some respects, from 
those presented by the earth, as evidence of its own divine 
origin, both nature and revelation ought to be acknowledged 
as products of the one Jehovah. The world of mind is as 
clearly made known to us, as is that of matter ; and future 
eternal existence is as certain as is our present being. Faith's 
eye is not more fallible than is that of the body. Why not 
believe the Almighty as readily as a fellow-being ? " Scepti- 
cism in religion is no better than downright infidelity," and he 
that withholds confidence from any part of Christianity, would 
be consistent, should he doubt on all subjects ; yea, even ques- 
tion whether his own existence be a reality or only a phan- 
tom. It is an observation of Lord Bacon, that " there was 
never a miracle wrought by God to convert an atheist because 
the light of nature might have led him to confess a God." If 



THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OP GOD. 153 

the external and internal proofs of Christianity do not cause 
men, to whom it comes, to see the truth and excellency of the 
system, and to acknowledge its divine original, then are they 
wilfully blind, and may justly be left to perish in their adher- 
ence to darkness. 

It is not strange that most Frenchmen have no belief of 
any kind, being not only infidels in regard to revealed religion, 
but sceptical on all points ; for having rejected the light from 
above, why should they not that which is dimly reflected by 
terrestrial objects ? Nor is it a matter of surprise that Hume, 
with his positions in regard to revelation, should have denied, 
" that there can be such a thing as one act, or effect, or event, 
causing another ; " and should have held " it impossible that 
any such thing should be, that any rational meaning should 
belong to such words " as connection, influence, power. 

Rigid Moral Affections requisite for a Reception of Revelation. 

It is here in place to state a most important fact, namely, 
that right affections will insure the acceptance of the doctrines 
and requirements embraced in the Scriptures. Such are es- 
sential, and, if they be secured, other obstacles will vanish ; 
perhaps, however, not at once. The human intellect is so 
weak, that great principles are often apprehended by it slowly. 
Faith, therefore, must be exercised perseveringly. The fol- 
lowing may not here be inappropriate. " If a man will be- 
gin with certainties, he shall end with doubts ; but, if he will 
be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties." 
We must sit down, humbly, at the feet of him who was " meek 
and lowly" in order that the word of God become sweeter to 
us than honey. Religious perplexities should be all settled at 
the feet of Jesus. A haughty spirit can never delight in the 
statutes of the Lord. Pride ruins millions of men ; it hurled 
angels from the skies. 



154 zion's pathway. 



Speculation on Revelation is Dangerous. 

Of Aristotle it has been remarked, that " he never nameth 
or mentioneth any ancient author or opinion, but to refute and 
reprove." Some minds are remarkably fond of the employ- 
ment, in which this Grecian sage apparently delighted, of de- 
molishing what others have reared. " Metaphysicians can 
unsettle things ; but they can erect nothing." "When specu- 
lations are pressed too far in the difficult science of mind, as 
it stands related to the moral government of Jehovah, there 
is a possibility that the temerity thus indulged, may be re- 
buked by the high and lofty One, in such a manner that the 
guilty individual will end his probation more of a sceptic than 
of a believer, though he did not intend to renounce the faith 
of the saints. " Nearness to God is nearness to truth." We 
cannot, be it remembered, draw nigh to him, by being wise 
not only above, but contrary to what is written. A Greek epi- 
gram speaks of ascending to heaven downward, and of de- 
scending upwards. He that was God manifested in the flesh 
has said, " every one that exalteth himself shall be abased ; 
and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." Blessed are 
they, who, having brought themselves down, are lifted up by 
the Lord. 



Examples. 

Some years since, an individual, who had acquired a good 
reputation as an orthodox interpreter of the Scriptures, be- 
gan to startle the Christian world by his speculations on cer- 
tain points of doctrine. At length the faith of believers in 
that fundamental point, the resurrection, was boldly assailed 
in a volume of no mean dimensions. Having given the work 
a slight examination, I inserted the following brief article in 
a religious paper, soon after this strange book was published. 



THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD. 155 

" It is reasonable to suppose that the great luminary which 
has recently shed a marvellous light upon the doctrine of 
the resurrection, will amaze the world with other beams and 
streams from the same source. Ere long, doubtless, by it all 
darkness connected with the mighty events, past, present, and 
future, in God's providential government, will be dissipated. 
The flood may yet be made to appear a fiction — the ark 
only a timber raft — the smoke of burning Sodom but wreaths 
from coal-pits — Abraham's offering Isaac, a dream or a fox- 
hunt ; and so on. This new light already presages the possi- 
bility of scattering whatever is miraculous about miracles, and 
encourages us to hope that it will yet pour such effulgence 
upon the throne of the Eternal, as to lay open to mortals all 
the things hidden from the foundation of the world. Verily, 
ours is a new epoch in the earth's history. Men, at least in 
their own apprehension, have become wonderfully wise ! — 
Still, were it proper for one who has far more confidence in 
the darkness of Revelation, than in the brightest radiance of 
uninspired reason, to interrogate the author of the late trea- 
tise on the resurrection, the writer would inquire, why it 
may not yet appear, in the progress of biblical science, that 
in the Godhead are thirteen, or thirty, or three hundred, or 
three hundred thousand persons ? True, he affirms that there 
are only three ; but how does he know, that a number larger 
than mortals can count may not hereafter be evolved ? I 
here add that we were not necessitated to wait long for ad- 
ditional developments of a character as strange and unscrip- 
tural, as those in the volume named ; for soon he who had 
ventured to attack the very foundation on which the church 
rests her faith in the Redeemer, was left to wander into the 
mists of Swedenborgianism, where he has been ever since, 
groping about, seeking light and finding none. Now he can 
speculate as he pleases, without being called to account by 
man. 



156 zion's pathway. 

Another instance, illustrative of the danger attending spec- 
ulation in religious matters, is that of a clergyman, who for 
some years occupied an evangelical pulpit. First he was left 
to assume that himself had more skill in solving hard ques- 
tions in sacred philology, than all his brethren or fathers in 
the circle of divines ; next, to doubt the authority of an in- 
spired apostle ; and finally, to take that last step short of 
open infidelity, namely, a denial of the Supreme Divinity 
of Christ. But short was his career. Death summoned him 
to the tribunal of God, before he could fairly get under way 
in plotting and prosecuting evil to Zion. Doubtless angels 
exclaimed as he disappeared, " So let all thine enemies 
perish, O Lord ! " 

Let one more example suffice. The Christian community is 
now sadly affected, while Satan and his servants are exulting 
over the mysticisms that a speculator on sacred subjects has 
thrown around revealed facts. A mind of brilliant parts, but 
without balance, is troubling Israel through an unholy love of 
sporting with abstruse doctrines. What the end is to be in 
this case, the future alone can decide. God may justly send 
strong delusions, with their terrific consequences, upon any 
religious teacher who departs from his appropriate work, and 
casts darkness before the eyes of saints and sinners. It is no 
proof of great talent or of desirable scholarship, to write so 
darkly, that no person can decipher the author's meaning. All 
mystics would do well to cease publishing their incoherent 
thoughts, till themselves know what they desire to affirm and 
what to deny. It would seem that certain expounders of the 
Scriptures both believe and disbelieve the same important 
truths. 



INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES. 157 



INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES. 
Definition of the Term. 

A subject, which stands connected with the vitals of true 
religion, is included in the caption prefixed to this article. 
Christianity claims to possess in the Bible an infallible guide. 
Implicit confidence is demanded, in all the contents of that 
volume. Talent, of the highest order, sanctified by the Spirit 
of God, has often been employed, in defining, arguing, and elu- 
cidating, the doctrine now to be discussed. Inspiration is not 
defined in precisely the same words, by those who agree in 
the main particulars respecting it. By some the subject is 
divided into several parts ; as the inspiration of revelation, 
by which new truths were communicated ; future events, as 
foretold by prophets come under this head. The inspiration 
of suggestion is another branch. Many facts, not absolutely 
beyond the reach of the writer's mind, would yet have escaped 
his notice, had not the Holy Spirit brought them to view. 
Besides these named, there is the inspiration of superintendence, 
by which the penmen were guarded against mistakes in re- 
cording what lay within their knowledge. That all which is 
implied in these separate representations is embraced in the 
doctrine of inspiration must be admitted ; but of what use is 
such a division of the term ? A definition comprehending 
the whole import in a single expression, is very desirable* 
Cannot such an one be framed ? Why may we not say that 
in writing the Scriptures the penmen were infallibly instructed 
and guided in every part of the work ? or in sacred diction, 
" holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy 
Ghost." Can the multiplication of words render more ex- 
plicit and plain, the idea intended to be expressed, by all who 
are orthodox ? 

14 



158 

Inspiration, though a subject complete in itself, is yet rather 
a link in a chain than an independent circle. The impress of 
God is indeed on every page of the Bible ; its divine orig- 
inal is conspicuous ; still, there are modes of reasoning, by 
which, a truth entirely clear to a Christian apprehension, may 
be made convincingly evident to those not prepared to appre- 
ciate the spiritual nature of the sacred volume. 

We begin our argument by proving the genuineness and 
authenticity * of the writings of the New Testament ; showing 
that about eighteen hundred years since, such a personage as 
Jesus Christ is represented to have been, existed on earth 
in the manner described, and that the individuals, whose names 
are attached to the several books, were not imaginary beings ; 
neither deceivers nor deceived, but men who lived at the time 
intimated ; and that they exhibited the characters ascribed to 
them ; also, that they were every way competent to act the 
part, which they are supposed to have performed in the pub- 
lishing of Christianity, and that they were entitled to full 
confidence. Thus much is here taken for granted ; for the es- 
tablishing of those positions belongs to the evidences of Chris- 
tianity ; not to the subject already brought to view and now to 
be our theme. Let it be understood that " we found the his- 
torical certainity of the inspiration of our sacred writers, on 
the authority and credibility of Jesus as an immediate divine 
Teacher." With these preliminaries, the way is prepared to 
proceed to a candid and careful consideration of the important 
topic before us. 

The Promise of Christ. 

It is evident that Christ promised peculiar assistance to his 
apostles, as he first commissioned them to teach and to preach. 



* It should be stated that different writers on the evidences of Christian- 
ity, use these terms somewhat unlike. 



INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES. 159 

" But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what 
ye shall speak ; for it shall be given you in that same hour, 
what ye shall speak ; for it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit 
of your Father which speaketh in you." Matt. 10 : 19, 20. 
With reference to another, but specially trying condition into 
which they would be brought, he said to them, " I will give 
you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not 
be able to gainsay nor resist." Luke 21 : 15. These passages 
are not exhibited as positive proof of the doctrine to which 
we are directing our attention ; they do, however, bear direct- 
ly on it, and afford a presumptive argument in favor of it. 
We may argue that if Christ furnished his apostles for duties 
less important, he would certainly qualify them for those of 
vastly greater moment. If he rendered them infallible, when 
their errors could easily have been corrected by himself, can 
we suppose he left them to commit mistakes after his with- 
drawal ? 

As the time of the Saviour's departure from the earth drew 
near, he was more full in his instructions and assurances. 
" And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another 
Comforter, that he may abide with you forever, even the 
Spirit of Truth." John 14: 16, 17. This Comforter was to 
be in the place of Christ, as teacher, guide, and protector. 
" He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your 
remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." John 14: 5. 
The same promise in substance, is contained in John 15:26; 
and in the verse following, Jesus says, " Ye also shall bear 
witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning." 
A repetition of the assurance that the Holy Ghost shall come 
to abide with them, is found in the 16th chap. 13th verse of 
the same evangelist. " Howbeit, when he the Spirit of truth 
is come, he will guide you into all truth." Not into every 
thing in the universe designated truth ; but into all the truth 
relating to the object of Christ's mission. 



160 zion's pathway. 

Just as the Redeemer was leaving this world, and returning 
to that whence he came, he addressed the apostles in these 
comprehensive words : " All power is given unto me in heav- 
en and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, bap- 
tizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and 
of the Holy Ghost ; teaching them to observe all things what- 
soever I have commanded you ; and lo I am with you alway, 
even unto the end of the world. Amen." Matt. 28 : 18-20. 
These persons were constituted the instructors of the nations ; 
from them all men were to receive the doctrines of the gos- 
pel ; truth only, truth of infinite importance, was to be herald- 
ed by them through the world. Such a trust as theirs was, 
transcends immeasurably all the interests of human embassies. 
Probably not a word of their Lord's history had at this time 
been written ; nor were their memories more tenacious of what 
they had heard from his lips, than would ours be in like cir- 
cumstances. Illuminators of the world they are commanded 
to be, and yet what were their qualifications at the time ? 
Most unfit they must have known themselves to be. Ah, how 
deplorable would the eternal prospects of the millions of hu- 
man beings have been, had Jesus committed the gospel to 
" the eleven " with no guarantee of infallible guidance ! 

First, he declares that his ability is unlimited on earth and 
in heaven ; and then he assures the recipients of his com- 
mand, that he will attend them, and that they shall be able 
every way to fulfil his orders. But not in person would he 
traverse the globe with them ; the promise of his presence 
here made, is only another mode of expressing what is uttered 
in the passages previously quoted. It was God the Spirit, 
that should abide perpetually with the apostles. Can the 
doctrine of inspiration, as embraced in promise, be more dis- 
tinctly taught than it was by Christ in his last commission ? 
Detract in the least from this amount of meaning ; allow that 
he intended less than infallible guidance, and in what condi- 



INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES. 161 

tion does he place those divinely appointed instructors of man- 
kind ? They cannot obey him, if he perform not for them 
all which is implied in the highest sense assigned to the term 
inspiration. We must admit that Jesus promised his apostles 
entire freedom from error, and a perfect exhibition of truth to 
their own minds by the Holy Spirit, or regard him as leaving 
the world before he had wholly completed his own proper 
work. Had the Saviour prepared an entire system of doctrines, 
and practical regulations for all times and places, the inspira- 
tion, of which we treat, would have been, if at all demanded, 
less necessary. We know not that he left a sentence on 
record, written by himself. If Jesus therefore did not unqual- 
ifiedly assure the apostles of the presence of the Holy Spirit 
with them, and if he did not accomplish perfectly such an as- 
surance, we have no satisfactory proof that their teachings were 
right, and that what we denominate the New Testament accords 
with the divine Mind. Confident, however, we are that being 
the true Messiah, Christ could not have left the family of man 
with no infallible directory — certainly he did not. We may 
ask why, O blessed Master, didst thou not write with thine own 
fingers a book of doctrines and duties ? Yet who will doubt the 
wisdom of Christ ? Closely connected in time and of the same 
import with the passages last quoted, is the following, which 
was spoken just as Jesus was ascending to heaven. " And 
behold I send the promise of my Father upon you ; but tarry 
ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power 
from on high." Luke 24 : 49. In Acts 1 : 8, is farther informa- 
tion concerning this indication : " But ye shall receive power 
after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be 
witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and all Judea, and in Sa- 
maria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Such was 
the farewell assurance received by the apostles from their Mas- 
ter. Thus spake the Omnipotent, the unerring Jesus. 
14* 



162 zion's pathway. 



The Fulfilment of the Promise. 



According to his direction, they remained in the sacred city 
till the pledged endowment came. In a few, not more than 
ten, days subsequently to the ascension of the Saviour, the 
Comforter arrived. Those who had received the promise 
" were all with one accord in one place," when in a most mani- 
fest and miraculous manner, the Spirit descended upon them ; 
" And there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, 
and it sat upon each of them ; and they were all filled with 
the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as 
the Spirit gave them utterance." On that occasion were pres- 
ent individuals " out of every nation under heaven," yet each 
one heard, in his own native tongue, the gospel from the apos- 
tles' lips. The fact was truly wonderful. " Behold, are not 
all these which speak Galileans ? And how hear we every 
man in his own tongue wherein we were born ? " Acts 2 : 7, 8. 
Well might those who had come to Jerusalem from coun- 
tries afar off, be amazed ; the scene, however, to the apostles, 
was only what they had expected, and that which so astound- 
ed the mixed multitude, was but the commencement of the 
fulfilment of Christ's promise to qualify, fully, the twelve for 
the discharge of their great commission ; furthermore, what 
was thus begun continued during their lives. Nor were all 
miraculous qualifications confined to them ; Paul was called 
into the apostolic office, and became preeminently distinguish- 
ed. No one wrote more than he, or acted a part greater in set- 
tling the new dispensation. It was necessary, also, for the 
highest degree of success in the early efforts for the dissemina- 
tion of truth, that other individuals should be made co-workers 
with those, who were sent forth immediately by the Saviour. 
Hence certain special divine endowments were bestowed 
on different persons, yet the gift of writing was not one of them. 
Every instance, however, of special conferments was only in 



INSPIRATION OP THE SCRIPTURES. 163 

fulfilment of the original promise which necessarily included 
the imparting of wisdom to the apostles for the selecting of 
assistants, in their onerous and vastly comprehensive work, 
and also the graciously qualifying of the selected persons for 
their peculiar duties. 

Evidence of Inspiration from Particular Passages. 

Leaving the promise and the commencement of its fulfil- 
ment, our thoughts appropriately trace the record which these 
inspired men have left, to ascertain what incidental evidence 
they afford of inspiration. If these men wrote as moved by 
the Spirit, their language will present, at least, occasional evi- 
dence of the fact. Uttering, with authority, the mind of 
Christ, it is supposed that, now and then, their testimony to 
their own inspiration would be given. Trace the Epistles, in 
the order in which they stand. At the opening of that to the 
Romans, the writer speaks thus of himself : " Paul a servant 
of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the 
gospel of God." In the first letter to the Corinthians, the 
writer of it says : " Now we have received, not the Spirit of 
the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might 
know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which 
things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom 
teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth." 2 : 12, 13. See 
Gal. 1 : 11, 12. " But I certify you brethren, that the gospel 
which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither 
received it of man, neither was I taught it but by the revela- 
tion of Jesus Christ." In 1 Thess. 4 : 8, occurs this statement, 
" He therefore, that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, 
who hath also given unto us his Holy Spirit." Every sen- 
tence in the short epistle of James, comes to us as authorita- 
tively as if dropping from the lips of God. Peter asserts that 
the gospel is preached, " with the Holy Ghost sent down from 



164 zion's pathway. 

heaven." 1 Pet. 1:12. Again : " But the word of the Lord 
endureth forever. And this is the word, which, by the gospel, 
is preached unto you." Verse 25. John says : " We are 
of God ; he that knoweth God, heareth us ; he that is not of 
God, heareth not us." 1 Epistle, 4 : 6. One short chapter is 
from the pen of Jude, and that is prefaced by his declaring 
himself to be " the servant of Jesus Christ." He exhorts the 
recipients of his brief address to remember the words which 
had been spoken to them by the apostles of the Lord ; and 
why, except because their present and eternal well-being de- 
pended on complying with these instructions ? Some difficulty 
having arisen in a portion of the church, a counsel of apostles 
and elders was convened together for deliberation concerning it, 
and the conclusion was to send a letter and delegates to those 
in trouble. In their communication, this phraseology occurs : 
" For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us ;" etc. Acts, 
15: 28. The obvious import of which is, that their decision 
was made under the influence of the Spirit. The form of 
expression, " it seemed," does not imply doubt ; decrees were 
thus prefaced. Not only was there harmoniousness of senti- 
ment between the Spirit and themselves, but the result was 
the fruit of his teachings. 

The foregoing quotations are given as examples of what 
the writings of the apostles contain, and as illustrative of our 
subject. Being infallibly guided by the Saviour, the sacred 
penmen were as well qualified to testify concerning their own 
inspiration as in regard to any other point. True witnesses 
do not falsify ; those guided by the unerring Spirit did not 
certify falsehood concerning themselves. Such quotations as 
I have made were vitally important parts of the Epistles. A 
question has been sometimes raised in respect to the writings 
of Mark and Luke, — the latter of whom, it is conceded, wrote 
the Acts as well as that part of the New Testament bearing 
his name, — because neither of these individuals was an apostle. 



INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES. 165 

In carrying out their commission, the inspired writers, as I 
have already stated, employed helpers. Such was, no doubt, 
the relation of the two persons above mentioned, to the twelve. 
"What, these men named, wrote, was either dictated to them by 
some one or more of the apostles, or it was sanctioned by their 
authority. Paul evidently, at times, employed an amanuensis. 

The Old Testament, 

That portion of the Scriptures known by the title of the 
Old Testament, is now as it was in the time of Christ, and 
every part of it was regarded by him and by the Jews as in- 
spired. Our Lord and his disciples always made reference to 
it, and quoted from it as being of divine authority. This fact, 
that the Old Testament, now and in the time of Christ, is identi- 
cal, deserves remembrance. Furthermore, two hundred and fif- 
ty-six times the Old Testament is cited in the New, and allusion 
is made in the latter to more than five hundred other passages 
in the former ; nor is there any where the slightest intimation, 
that infallibility is not possessed by any chapter or verse. In- 
deed, Jesus and his apostles give to those writings the most ex- 
alted title possible, calling them the Word of God. Moreover, 
direct assertions are made by the Saviour and his servants, in 
proof of the inspiration of the Old Testament. The former 
uniformly pointed his hearers to those sacred pages for pre- 
dictions concerning himself. Take an example from the 
Epistles: "And that, from a child, thou hast known the 
Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto sal- 
vation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture 
is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, 
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that 
the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all 
good works." 2 Tim. 3 : 15-17. Whether any part of the 
New Testament is included in the term Scripture or not, the 



166 zion's pathway. 

whole of the Old is ; and it is declared to be inspired and able 
to make wise unto salvation, through faith in Christ, and to 
render complete in all good works, the receiver. What is 
styled the Apocrypha never formed a part of the sacred vol- 
ume, and ought not to be bound within the same cover. It 
has no more divine authority than has the Koran of Mo- 
hammed or the Veda of the Hindoo. Peter says, "The 
prophecy came not in old time by the will of man ; but holy 
men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 
2 Pet. 1 : 21. Furthermore, the apostles classed together 
their own writings and those of the seers under the first dis- 
pensation, as in the following passages : " And are built upon 
the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ him- 
self being the chief corner-stone." Eph. 2 : 20. " That ye 
may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the 
holy prophets and of the commandment of us the apostles of 
the Lord and Saviour." 2 Pet. 3 : 2. 

A question which has elicited considerable discussion, re- 
lates to the words employed in conveying the truths taught by 
the Spirit, — Were these mediums of thought inspired ? Un- 
questionably the Holy Ghost guarded them just as carefully 
as he did the ideas. Indeed, if the language be wrong, so are 
the sentiments. We have no other means of judging as to the 
mind of the Spirit, except these words. If such and only such 
were not secured, which convey to our understanding the 
exact truth, then are we without the ability of knowing it. 

Objections considered. 

It is objected, that the language of the Scriptures is purely 
human in appearance, and, therefore, these writings savor 
more of earth than of heaven. How, in reply, it may be in- 
quired, can we be addressed, except by the modes of commu- 
nication to which we are accustomed? Were a volume 



INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES. 167 

placed in our hands purporting to be from God, and yet, in a 
tongue unknown to any nation on earth, it should be rejected 
as an imposition. There is but one way for Jehovah to com- 
municate his will to man, and that is through the language of the 
latter. In the case supposed, the book would not be a revelation. 
A sacred volume is no manifestation of the Deity's pleasure, 
if its leaves are covered with obscurity. 

Allied to the preceding objection is the following : Different 
writers record the same events in varied phraseology. How 
can they be inspired, and not record alike, the same facts? Is 
their practice consistent with the sentiment that they were in- 
spired ? Verily, wherein it should conflict with the doctrine 
of inspiration I do not perceive. The penmen were infallibly 
guided to record identical parts of Christ's history in diversi- 
fied modes of expression, because, for several reasons, it was 
far preferable the language should not be uniform. They 
were inspired to employ different terms in stating the same 
facts. Variety is more pleasing than is a sameness. Besides, 
now we have as many witnesses for the facts of the Scriptures 
as there are individual penmen who have recorded them ; 
whereas, if they all uttered the precise words of any one, it 
is questionable whether their statements would be regarded as 
testimony in any sense. At least, the query would arise, if 
there might not have been a collusion among them. What is 
more common than for writers now to set forth events and 
scenes in a great variety of modes of description, without 
departing, in the least, from the truth ? Language is beauti- 
fully versatile ; God has not shut us up to a few set expres- 
sions, in giving utterance to our thoughts in the ordinary af- 
fairs of life, and he designed his words to be, in this respect, 
conformed to the condition of the race. Inspired men were 
allowed to employ their own style in writing. As bearing on 
each of the foregoing objections, the ensuing sentiments of 
another are here appropriate. " The books are divine, and 






168 

yet they are human ; infallible, and yet indited by mortals like 
ourselves ; the word of God, and yet the word of man ; divine 
as to the matter, human as to the manner." I add, as a sum- 
mary of all that may be advanced touching these objections, 
that the Scriptures are from heaven, but fitted to mankind on 
earth ; they bring down the will of Jehovah to the understand- 
ing of mortals ; their object is to reveal, not to conceal. 

Many things are found in the Bible, seemingly of very lit- 
tle consequence ; and this circumstance is thought, by some, 
to militate against its inspiration. But why should an oppos- 
ing argument be thus based ? The mind that can thus cavil, 
overlooks its own littleness. Had not much care been be- 
stowed on the minutiae of the relations mutually existing 
among mankind, and, on those, binding us to the Most High, 
the Bible surely would not have met man's moral neces- 
sities. We are beings of very limited capacities ; trifles af- 
fect us sensibly and permanently. "Behold how great a 
matter a little fire kindleth." Existence in time is made up 
of moments ; our dearest interests on earth and our eternal 
welfare depend, perhaps, upon what may be denominated the 
molecules of matters. In naught does the caviller's unreason- 
ableness more strikingly appear, than in the objection before 
us. His own salvation is secured or lost, according to his 
treatment of what he scorns as revealed trifles. Who has 
authorized him thus to sit in judgment on God's Word ? Ah ! 
these little points will not seem trivial, if they shall be con- 
templated by him amid eternal blackness ! The fragment of a 
rock is truly small in comparison with a mountain of the same 
material ; yet the former may be the key-stone in an arch, on 
the stability of which, the lives and happiness of thousands 
may be resting. Ages are but a succession of very brief por- 
tions of time. Our globe is constituted of particles, not one 
of which, singly, merits any special regard. Heaven's bliss 
and hell's horrors are composed of successive sensations. 



INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES. 169 

Still farther, it is objected, that there are palpable contra- 
dictions in the Scriptures. This, verily, is a momentous 
charge against the divine oracles, and requires due notice. In 
regard to it, we find that persons raising the loudest cry are such 
as know but very little about the contents of our sacred book. 
Never having informed themselves, they utter anathemas at 
random. From some infidel publication they have gathered 
the words with which they carry on their crusade against in- 
spiration. In what part of the volume these alleged contra- 
dictions exist, they know not ; and, when pressed, they cannot 
defend their own positions. Now, it is evident, that to an 
ignorant, contracted mind, certain statements may have the 
appearance of contradiction, and, at the same time, there be 
nothing in them which bears that semblance, to an intellect 
better qualified to judge of truth and error, congruity and 
antagonism. Suppose, however, conflicting passages do occur, 
the candid inquirer will be slow to reject the whole volume, 
till he has carefully weighed the solutions given of these diffi- 
culties by able critics. He will not madly resolve to burn his 
Bible because a seeming occasional discrepancy appears on its 
pages. Easy, indeed, it were for slight inaccuracies to have 
crept in through the heedlessness of transcribers, during the 
generations previous to printing. Copyists of the lively oraeles 
do not claim to have been inspired. No evidence exists that a 
single doctrine has been perverted, or any instruction essen- 
tial to man's temporal or eternal welfare, been vitiated. In 
these respects, the Bible speaks a uniform language from first 
to last. Letters being used for numerals, in the original lan- 
guages of the Scriptures, and some of them being similar, yet 
representing different sums, might, without design, be wrongly- 
transcribed, and thus actual contradictions may occur in various 
conceivable instances. If any one is disposed to reject the 
Word of God, for such a reason, let him prepare for the con- 
sequences which can neither be avoided nor easily endured. 
15 






170 zion's pathway. 

Jehovah is jealous over his Revelation ; its pages are guarded 
by his armed omnipotence. No man may despise it without 
periling his own soul. 

A serious charge has been preferred against the four Evan- 
gelists and other New Testament writers, touching their quo- 
tations from the Old Testament. It has been affirmed, that 
these sacred penmen grossly mistook the import of numerous 
passages cited by them from the pages composed during the 
former dispensation. Bold affirmations, on the part of oppos- 
ers, have been met by calm and thorough investigation of the 
practice of the accused and of the principles by which the 
writers of the Gospels and of the Epistles, were governed in 
their selections from the law and the prophets. Particulars I 
need not here detail ; suffice it to say, that this cavil, like 
every other started against the doctrine of inspiration, is 
shown, by able critics, to be perfectly futile, and unworthy of 
being named by any person of candor. Sceptics are made, 
on this point, to appear in no enviable light ; they are shown 
to be ignorant of both Testaments, while the apostles stand 
before us infallibly inspired. There is the best of reasons for 
believing that every appropriation of Old Testament passages 
in the New, was made just as the Holy Spirit directed. 

In conclusion, I say, that the doctrine which has now been 
briefly presented, clothes the Scriptures with an "infinite 
majesty and glory ;" it gives to every command, prohibition, 
promise and threatening, the highest authority ; and, though 
this subject requires a popular discussion, yet, well has it been 
observed, that " the Word of God, being the sword of the 
Spirit, needs not an arm of flesh to defend it." 

TWO ARGUMENTS FOR SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES. 

First Argument. 
The first is derived from their origin, which is heavenly. 
The Bible is from God. It is not possible, that it should have 






SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES. 171 

had a less holy authorship. This statement is made with a 
full understanding of the frequent and violent attempts to pre- 
vent mankind from confiding in it. Infidels have spared no 
pains in their efforts to affix the stamp of reprobation on the 
volume held sacred by all Christians, but it is harmed by none 
of their assaults, for the more it is assailed, the clearer does its 
divine character come to light. All that hard-working oppos- 
ers gain for themselves, is mortification and disgrace in the 
eyes of men, and the wrath of God. Let them have the pity 
and prayers of the righteous, that they may be influenced to 
abandon their folly and seek wisdom from the Scriptures ; yet 
in the name of the Bible, let all its enemies be challenged to 
exert themselves, day and night, to destroy not only its power, 
but also its very existence. Whoever desires to enter at large 
into the external evidences, that the Bible is from God, can find 
many excellent volumes which have been published on that 
subject. It is well that they have been written ; still, where 
the heart is right, internal evidence is sufficient. In such a 
case, the Scriptures are felt to be from above. It is not possi- 
ble to create a suspicion to the contrary, in the mind of a humble, 
intelligent Christian. This fact then, that the Bible is from 
God, is a powerful reason why it should be searched. It was 
given for this end. Whatever it contains, those contents 
should be known ; but they never can be, otherwise than by 
careful study. 

Second Argument. 

My second argument is drawn from the nature of the con- 
tents. The volume is replete with information on subjects of 
the highest importance. Here is the history of the origin of 
the world, recorded in clear, forcible, and infallible language. 
No where else is there an authentic account of the beginning 
of the earth and its inhabitants. To reject this exhibition of 



172 zion's pathway. 

facts, is to involve us in utter darkness on points of vast inter- 
est. The commencement of those ancient nations, the origin 
of which is not enrolled in the Scriptures, remains wrapped in 
darkness impenetrable. Even the Roman empire, which does 
not profess to have existed more than about seven hundred 
and fifty years previous to the coming of Christ, affords no 
satisfactory account of its beginning. Much of the Bible is 
historical, and the world has no other records to compare 
with it, in this respect. 

In this volume, likewise, are found the best specimens of 
biography any where extant. The characters are correctly 
delineated ; excellences are neither overrated nor concealed ; 
faults are explicitly stated and decidedly condemned. The pic- 
ture is in every case true to the original. Indeed, we are 
transferred back into the very midst of patriarchal scenes, and 
are made ourselves to live and move with the venerable men 
whose lives we peruse, and are permitted to enjoy with them 
the happiness of primitive simplicity. By attending to the 
biographical sketches in the Bible, the most instructive lessons 
are learned respecting human nature. Every where evidence 
meets us, that man is a fallen being, and that, however nume- 
rous and marked his virtues may be, sooner or later proof of 
his deep depravity will manifest itself. Every page in this 
impartial history of human nature developes the fact, that 
man is not what the Creator originally constituted him. 

The Scriptures afford examples of preeminent heroism. 
What human schemes of modern times can be compared with 
the erection of the ark ? See the aged Noah, engaged in 
that wonderful enterprise. True, it was a divine plan, but the 
work was performed by the patriarch ; behold him toiling ; 
long did he labor amid fierce opposition ; the world derided 
him. Mark the courage of the man — follow him as he enters 
the ark • — contemplate him during his sail of many a month, 
on the awful flood raised above the tops of the highest moun- 



SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES. 173 

tains. Witness Moses before Pharaoh — Israel passing through 
the Red Sea — ■ Joshua overcoming the Canaanites — Gideon, 
with his army of three hundred, utterly routing the numerous 
hosts of the oppressing Midianites — Samson in his mighty 
achievements — David meeting Goliath — Daniel disregard- 
ing an unrighteous decree, and going into a den of living lions, 
rather than omit his daily prayers to God. Look at the three 
men in the fiery furnace, which was heated to an unusual 
intensity for them, because they would not bow down and 
worship the golden image which Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 
Behold Peter and John, surrounded by wrathful rulers, and 
by a populace frantic with rage, because these humble servants 
of the Lord had, in the name of their master, Jesus, made 
whole, a man who had been a cripple from his birth. See 
Stephen, encompassed with an infuriated mob ; Paul, when 
arraigned before kings and princes, and when contending with 
unbelieving philosophers, and idolatrous statesmen. In com- 
parison with these and other specimens of heroism, recorded in 
the Scriptures, the mightiest achievements, described on the 
pages of profane history, appear almost unworthy of notice. 

Our holy book contains numerous passages of overpowering 
pathos. Turn to what passed between Abraham and Isaac, 
as they journeyed to Mount Moriah. Gen. 22. Read the 
account of Jacob's meeting Esau, as the former was returning 
from his long sojourn in Padanaram. Gen. 33. Hear the 
lament of the same patriarch, as he mourns for his son Joseph, 
and refuses to be comforted. " I will go down into the grave 
unto my son mourning." Gen. 37. Behold Judah pleading 
before Joseph, and the latter making himself known to his 
brethren. " I am Joseph ; doth my father yet live ? " Peruse 
the farewell address of Moses to the people of Israel. Listen 
to the gray-headed Samuel, as he takes his leave of the peo- 
ple, to go and render an account of his judgeship to the Judge 
of all the earth. Give ear to the charge of the dying David, 
15* 



174 zion's pathway. 

to his son Solomon, in reference to the kingdom. How 
pathetic is the following language uttered relative to quite a 
different interest from that just named : " And the king was 
much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate and 
wept ; and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom ! 
my son, my son Absalom. Would God, I had died for thee, 
O Absalom, my son, my son ! " 2 Sam. 18 : 33. Turn to 
the same ruler's lament over Saul and Jonathan. " Ye daugh- 
ters of Israel, weep over Saul. How are the mighty fallen in 
the midst of the battle. I am distressed for thee, my brother 
Jonathan." 2 Sam. 1. The Psalms furnish many specimens 
of the pathetic. "As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, 
so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for 
God, for the living God ; when shall I come and appear be- 
fore God. My tears have been my meat, day and night, 
while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God ? " 
Ps. 42. " By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, 
we wept, when we remembered Zion. If I forget thee, O 
Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not 
remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth." 
Ps. 137. One, fond of this species of writing, cannot fail to be 
interested in the five chapters composing the book of Lamen- 
tations. Of Zion it is said, " She weepeth sore in the night, 
and her tears are on her cheeks. She spreadeth forth her 
hands, and there is none to comfort her. Is it nothing to 
you, all ye that pass by ? Behold and see, if there be any 
sorrow, like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, where- 
with the Lord hath afflicted me, in the day of his fierce 
anger." 

Shall I speak of the sublimity, characteristic of many por- 
tions of the Bible ? The very first announcement which it 
contains, is truly sublime. " In the beginning, God created 
the heavens and the earth." Then a little farther on, we find 
this wonderful declaration : " God said, Let there be light, and 



SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES. 175 

there was light." How exceedingly sublime is the description 
of the Lord's descent upon the top of Sinai. Amid thunderings 
and lightnings, and a thick darkness, he comes attended with 
the voice of a trumpet, waxing louder and louder. The scene 
increases in grandeur, till the whole mount quakes at the 
presence of the wonder-working God. Exodus, 19. In the 
eighteenth Psalm, we find the following : " He bowed the heav- 
ens also and came down, and darkness was under his feet ; 
and he rode upon a cherub and did fly ; yea, he did fly upon 
the wings of the wind. He made darkness his secret place ; 
his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick 
clouds of the skies. At the brightness that was before him, 
his thick clouds passed, hailstones and coals of fire." Look at 
the twenty-fourth Psalm : "Lift up your heads, O ye; gates, 
and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory 
shall come in." The sixth chapter of Isaiah contains a passage, 
unsurpassed, perhaps, by any other : " I saw also the Lord, 
sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled 
the temple. Above it, stood the seraphims ; each one had 
six wings. With twain he covered his face, and with twain 
he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried 
unto another and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts ; 
the whole earth is full of his glory." I will select but one 
example more from the Old Testament. It is from the third 
chapter of Habakkuk, and represents an interposition of the 
Almighty in behalf of his people. " God came from Teman, 
and the Holy One from Mount Paran ; his glory covered the 
heavens, and the earth was full of his praise, and his bright- 
ness was as the light. Before him went the pestilence, and 
burning coals went forth at his feet. He stood and measured 
the earth ; he beheld and drove asunder the nations ; and the 
everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills 
did bow ; his ways are everlasting." With one selection 
from the New Testament, I pass to the consideration of another 



176 zion's pathway. 

topic. " After these things, I heard a great voice of much 
people in heaven, saying, Alleluia, salvation, and glory and 
honor and power unto the Lord our God. And again, they said 
Alleluia ; and her smoke rose up for ever and ever. And a 
voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye 
his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. And 
I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, and as the 
voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, 
saying Alleluia ; for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth." 
Rev. 19. 

Oar sacred book contains a great amount of poetry, which is 
unequalled by uninspired productions. This is affirmed not 
ignorantly. Homer and Virgil, besides many others, both 
among the Greeks and the Romans, attained to the highest 
excellence, and enjoyed the greatest celebrity, as masters of 
this species of writing. In later times, there have been Mil- 
ton and Cowper, Thompson and Young, not to name a host 
of others, of various degrees of skill in the art. All, however, 
fall far below the sacred poets. True, we do not meet with 
the exactly measured lines, nor with words that rhyme in the 
Scriptures. These are not necessary in order to the highest 
kind of poetical composition, yet the poetry in the Bible seems, 
in the original, to possess a sort of metrical arrangement. 
Divinely inspired poetry is not of one species merely. There 
is the elegiac, also the didactic, the dramatic, the pastoral, and 
the ode. Examples of this kind of composition are found in vari- 
ous parts of the Scriptures. A poem was sung by the Israel- 
ites on getting safely through the Red Sea. It was prepared 
for the occasion. " The Lord is my strength and song. Sing 
ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously ; the horse 
and his rider hath he thrown into the sea." Another of great 
beauty is recorded in the fifth chapter of Judges, and is called 
the song of Deborah and Barak. The occasion of its compo- 
sition and performance, was the defeat and death of Sisera. 



SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES. 177 

" Praise ye the Lord, for the avenging of Israel. Hear, O ye 
kings, give ear, O ye princes ; I, even I, will sing unto the Lord, 
I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel. The stars in 
their courses fought against Sisera." But space would fail 
me, were I to attempt to give examples from all parts of the 
Bible. The Book of Job is much of it in poetry ; the Psalms 
are poetry, and the prophets generally uttered their predic- 
tions in verse. 

Sufficient has been advanced, respecting the literary merits 
of the Holy Scriptures. The divine pages are by no means 
uninviting in this respect ; on the contrary, they present on 
this very account the strongest claims for the regard and study 
of all, who would be deemed men of literary taste. Still there 
are more urgent reasons, derived from the contents of the Bible, 
why it should be searched. Within it, is a system of morality 
perfect and important. Some of the ancient philosophers 
spoke well on certain points relating to moral conduct ; yet 
they were mournfully deficient in their teachings. " The 
wisest moralists of heathen nations represented the desire for 
revenge as the mark of a noble mind, and the accomplishment 
of it as one of the chief felicities attendant on a fortunate 
man." * Christ teaches us, both by precept and exampl to 
forgive our enemies. To do it is generous, godlike. Shall 
we be pointed to that great philosopher and reformer among 
the Chinese — Confucius ; and to the Persian Zoroaster ; 
also to the golden verses of Pythagoras, and to the wisdom of 
Socrates ? Shall we be referred to the writings of Plato, 
Seneca, and Cicero ? That all these possess some excellences 
we readily admit. But they are not suitable for standard 
works on morals, and we cannot consent for a moment to the> 
idea, that the word of God is, in any measure, indebted to 



* Jenyns. 



178 zion's pathway. 

them ! As soon would we allow, that the sun derives its light 
from our tapers, and its heat from our fires. The useful 
maxims, found in the writings of some of the heathen, were 
doubtless derived either directly or indirectly from the Scrip- 
tures, much of which was early scattered far and wide. In 
the system of ethics, delivered to man by his Maker, and con- 
tained in the Bible, every moral precept, founded on reason, 
is carried to a higher degree of perfection, than it is by any of 
the ancient philosophers ; while all the precepts, founded upon 
false principles, are entirely omitted, and a multitude of pre- 
cepts, unknown where Christianity has shed no light, are 
added.* 

In vain shall we search through all the schools of heathen 
philosophy, whether they be Platonic, Aristotelian or Eclectic, 
for any thing like the pure code of morals propounded by our 
holy religion. Never was an attempt more futile, than is the 
one which is sometimes made, to convince believers in the 
Scriptures/that the writings of the New Testament were culled 
from the teachings of Gentile idolators. 

M Let all the heathen writers join 
To form one perfect book, 
Great God, when once compared with thine, 
How mean their writings look." 

No sooner had the doctrines of the Bible become inter- 
mixed with the precepts and speculations of heathen philoso- 
phy, than Christianity became corrupt. The horrible system 
of Antichrist is a legitimate result of such a combination. 

But we proceed to another point, and observe, that the 
Scriptures embody the laws by which Jehovah governs the 
moral world, and regulates the intelligent universe. Blot out 



* See Jenyns. 






SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES. 179 

of existence this volume, and man is left in darkness, as to 
what the Lord would have him to do. Since the revolution 
occasioned by the introduction of sin, conscience is not suffi- 
cient to be the only guide ; amid the uproar of the passions, 
her voice is often not heard, and when heard not heeded. 
The law on the heart, and the laws written in the constitution 
of nature, have invariably proved inadequate for the guidance 
of man. Wherever the Bible is not received and searched, 
there you find man ignorant of his Maker, a grovelling sensu- 
alist, or an ignorant idolator, or a stupid atheist. 

Let me now approach another point, in respect to the con- 
tents of the Bible, which presents an argument stronger than 
any of the preceding, why this book should be faithfully ex- 
plored, and its teachings most scrupulously regarded. I refer 
to the history of redemption. Here, and only here, is a 
Saviour promised. No where else is the voice of the prophets 
heard, proclaiming a Messiah to come. In this book, he is 
not only promised, and his appearance often predicted, but we 
actually find the history of his advent, life and death, here 
written out in full. The problem is solved in the Bible, which 
no heathen could ever solve. The wisest of them doubted 
whether the Deity could forgive sins. In the Scriptures we 
are shown, how God can be just, yet justify the penitent sin- 
ner. On the cross of Calvary was made an atonement, which 
renders it possible for Jehovah to maintain his law, and at 
the same time to have mercy upon the transgressor, who ac- 
knowledges his guilt, and seeks pardon. 

Before leaving this branch of the subject, it may be proper 
to notice another characteristic in the contents of the Bible. 
This book corrects all the wild notions and foolish schemes 
which the depraved heart, the unsubdued Will, and unbridled 
imagination indulge and attempt. It shows us Babel-build- 
ers confounded ; heaven-daring plans defeated ; the defiers of 
God struck lifeless ; the pride of man humbled ; and every thing 



180 

that exalteth itself against God cast down. We are taught 
to number our days and to apply our hearts to wisdom ; not to 
boast of to-morrow, and to employ the present day for the 
wisest and best of all purposes. He is shown to be a fool who 
lays up much goods for many years, and makes no calculation 
upon a sudden arrest by death. It is a scriptural sentiment, 
that he who does not build upon the Rock of ages, is a foolish 
man ; and that he who does not aspire after immortal felicities, 
is unwise and condemns his soul to everlasting sorrow. The 
fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and whoever 
casts off this fear, is not wise. In a word, the holy Writings 
teach us how to live and how to die. They are a perfect rule 
of faith and of practice for every member of the human family. 



MANNER OF SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES. 

Having presented sufficient reasons why the Scriptures 
should be searched, I shall direct attention to the manner in 
which this important service ought to be performed. 

The Temper of Mind. 

We should come to the lively oracles with a modest estimate 
of our intellectual powers, being sensible that God is infinite 
in wisdom and knowledge, and that we know comparatively 
nothing. Exalted views of one's own mental capacities, is a 
great barrier to entering the chambers of Bible truth. He 
that supposes himself to be in possession of more light than 
God has it in his power to give, is not in a fit state to search 
the Scriptures. Such a person is disposed to assume the atti- 
tude of a teacher in the presence of the Most High, instead of 
applying himself to the divine word. If a proper degree of 
humility characterize an individual, he is ready to hear atten- 
tively what the Lord has to say ; destitute of that virtue, he 



SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES. 181 

may regard every message from on high, which does not fall 
in with his own opinions, as obtrusive. A proud, self-conceited 
mortal, is not in a frame of mind adapted to a suitable appli- 
cation to the inspired pages. Lay aside, therefore, your con- 
ceitedness, all ye who would learn the will of God. Remember 
that on every point treated in his Revelation, you need just 
the instruction which his book contains. Possessing due 
meekness, you will be met in your approach to it, with divine 
approbation ; while those destitute of this trait, shall be left in the 
darkness of their own beclouded minds, to embrace delusions 
and perish in their folly. Here I affirm it to be an unquestionable 
fact, that not one of all the rejecters of the Bible ever sought 
to understand its teaching, with any thing like a becoming 
temper of mind. Some of them have made statements which 
prove the truth of the above assertion in respect to them. 
Not a few, who have undertaken to write down the Scrip- 
tures, have betrayed an utter ignorance of the import of the 
volume, and all of them have exhibited more of a fiendish hate 
against the Bible, than of a painful conviction that it is un- 
worthy of confidence. An instance has never been found, of 
an individual coming meekly to the conclusion, that the Bible 
merits universal contempt, and such an event cannot occur. 
No intelligent man ever humbly seeks to know the facts 
respecting the genuineness, authenticity, and inspiration of the 
Scriptures, without arriving at the conviction, that they are the 
infallible word of the Lord. I conclude this topic by simply 
saying, that the importance of possessing the temper of mind 
under consideration, cannot be too highly estimated. 

The Province of Reason. 

Reason must occupy its appropriate province, and it is an 
urgent question, what is that province ? Evidently it has 
some office ; man is a rational creature, and is required, on 
16 



ZION S PATHWAY. 

every occasion, to show himself such. God does not desire us 
to act without reason, but calls upon us to prove ourselves under 
its influence at all times. The truths of the Bible certainly 
cannot be contrary to right reason, for they are from God, and 
he is never inconsistent with himself. If on any points the 
Scriptures and reason are actually at variance, the wrong is on 
the side of the latter ; it is perverted. Revelation may, in 
numerous particulars, be above reason, without being contrary 
to it. Instruction given to man by inspiration, comes to us, in 
certain respects, like the rays of the sun. Of the latter, we 
see only the mere extremities of the pencils of light from na- 
ture's great luminary. These reach the eye, and extend back 
to the source, whence they proceed. The same may be 
affirmed of the contents of the Bible. Every truth within it 
reaches unto the throne of God. We may walk in the light 
of the sun, and receive those benefits, which it is adapted to 
confer, without understanding the nature of a single ray ; with- 
out knowing whether the sun be in its nature solid or gaseous, 
a ball of fire, or a globe of ice. The Scriptures were given to 
us, to be a guide, a revelation, a blessing, but it does not 
hence follow, that we are able to comprehend the heights and 
depths, the lengths and breadths of all that is said or implied 
in them. Man cannot fathom eternity ; he cannot penetrate 
the undisclosed counsels of the Most High. Created beings, 
however great their capacities, must forever fall infinitely 
short of the knowledge possessed by Jehovah. 

The province of reason is, to explore the treasures of truth, 
which Divine Wisdom has placed within its reach. It has no 
right to sit in judgment on the propriety of this or that com- 
munication from above. Reason is not called upon to decide 
what the Bible should or should not contain. The only ques- 
tion for it to answer, is, what does this book contain ? Its 
proper position is that of an investigator. Nor may the so- 
called discoveries in science, be allowed to turn the scale in 



SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES. 183 

which are weighed the chapters and the verses of the book 
sent from heaven. We fear not the developments of true 
science. The Author of Revelation is the Creator of the 
world ; hence the book of nature and the inspired page can never 
be at war. But be it known, that we are not to interpret the 
latter by the former. To the law and to the testimony, the 
final appeal is to be made, in every case of doubt. The Bible 
is complete in itself ; though the Most High, in preparing it, 
well knew, that those to be its recipients were in the midst of 
the works and wonders of his hand, and that they might learn 
many a lesson from them. What has natural science to do 
with the facts relating to the Trinity, the incarnation, the 
atonement, the resurrection of the dead, and the future judg- 
ment ? These are themes which science cannot touch. They 
are let down direct from heaven, and are to be received 
wholly on the authority of God, as presented in the Bible. 



A Prayerful Frame of Mind is requisite. 

In searching the Scriptures, the mind should be preemi- 
nently and perpetually in a prayerful frame. The heart, as I 
have elsewhere stated, has much to do in understanding the 
inspired volume. But little progress can be made in seeking 
after its precious pearls, while the feelings are opposed to its 
contents. Sin darkens the eye of the mind ; it blurs the 
whole spiritual vision. Besides, when one's heart is armed 
against divine doctrines, he will not apply himself diligently 
and meekly to ascertain what the Lord saith. None, except a 
devout frame of mind, is suited to receive the pure teachings 
of the Spirit. Moreover, man at best, is of limited capacities, 
and needs constantly the illuminating and enlarging influence 
of the Holy Ghost. Still farther, without the special guidance 
of the third person in the Trinity, he will ever be likely to do, 



184 zion's pathway. 

what multitudes have done, wrest the Scriptures to his own 
destruction. Therefore, the first object to be sought by every 
one, who would become thoroughly versed in all which Jehovah 
has been pleased to reveal, is regenerating and sanctifying 
grace. Ah, the rashness of those that attempt to unfold to others, 
the mysteries of Revelation, without having become acquainted 
with their own hearts. Such certainly are blind, and surely 
none but the blind will submit to be led by them. One had 
better spread his sails, and launch out upon the wide sea of 
infidelity, than to undertake to explain, as a teacher of Chris- 
tianity, the oracles of God, while he cherishes a heart that hates 
the light, and will not come to the light, lest his deeds be 
reproved. Let the following prayers of the Psalmist be un- 
ceasingly offered by all, who would acquaint themselves with 
the truths stored in the Bible : " Open thou mine eyes, that I 
may behold wondrous things out of thy law. Teach me thy 
statutes. O let me not wander from thy commandments." 
Thus shall our holy book become to them a continual and sure 
guide in their pathway from time to eternity. 

Closing Appeals. 

Before concluding this discussion, I must appeal, 
1. To the young. For you, Almighty God prepared this 
sacred volume. Here are truths and treasures, more impor- 
tant for you than aught the world elsewhere contains. What- 
ever other knowledge you have acquired, if destitute of a 
thorough acquaintance with this book, you are profoundly and 
fearfully ignorant. One cannot begin to be wise, till he seeks 
wisdom from the Bible. The science of religion is the great- 
est science of the world, and the art of living for God is of all 
arts the noblest. You must enter the arcana of divine truth, 
or be marked as miserably defective in mental culture. Here 
are themes, furnished by the Lord of the universe, for the 



SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES. 185 

contemplation of his rational creatures. Have you thought it 
beneath the dignity of your nature, to commune with this book 
of God ? It would be not less beneath that dignity to com- 
mune with Jehovah in person. Would it mortify you to be 
seen in the Sabbath School class, or in the weekly gathering 
for social converse upon the Scriptures ? Then have you 
strange ideas of dignity. Doubtless you would blush to be 
seen sitting with angels and archangels. Brush away for 
once the dust from your eyes, and gaze upon the intellectual 
beauties of the Bible. Show now yourself a youth of mind. 
Here is history, biography, poetry, eloquence, pathos, sublimity. 
Here is all that is truly elevating and saving. Were death a 
wakeless sleep, the Bible, considering its literary merits, might 
demand your best attention, your choicest hours of study. 
But you are to exist forever ; and upon your treatment of the 
Scriptures, depends the character of your future condition. 
Despise them, and you are lost. Neglect of his word is neglect 
of God. Come, ye youth, and hold communion with the Father, 
the Son, and the Holy Ghost, through the medium of these 
inspired pages, that the blessing of the Triune Jehovah may 
rest upon you forever. 

2. Not less is the Bible fitted to the circumstances of the 
middle-aged. They surely have not become too wise for 
Omniscience to instruct them, nor so holy as to need no more of 
the sanctifying influences, coming from the Spirit through the 
word. Verily, they have not arrived at that degree of perfec- 
tion in the art of living for immortality, that renders unneces- 
sary farther counsel from God. As yet they may receive 
good in all the relations which they occupy, by drinking at 
this fount of living waters ; by eating of the manna here pro- 
vided, and by conforming to the instructions here given. O 
ye men of strength, here is strong food for your undying souls. 
Spurn not the heavenly entertainment. 

3. And have the aged gone too far in their journey toward 

16* 






186 zion's pathway. 

the grave, to spend any more time in searching the Scriptures ? 
Or have they so entirely mastered every part of this epistle of 
the infinite Father, that no more information can be gained 
from it ? Are they too old to explore the field of revealed 
truth ? So stricken in years, that they can no more grow in 
the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ? If this 
be a fact, then are they too old to enter heaven ; for these 
identical truths found in the Scriptures, will be the theme of 
contemplation for God's elect, till the last sand in the hour- 
glass of eternity shall have run out. All ye aged, standing 
hard by the lashing surges of death's dark waters, fail not to 
search the Scriptures. Wipe the dust from your eye-glasses, 
and hold daily converse with the Almighty, in the book sent 
in mercy to you. 

THE ANCIENT SAINTS AND A FUTURE STATE. 

In the term ancient saints, I here include all the pious who 
lived prior to the coming of Christ, and of whom we have 
some account in the Old Testament. There may have been 
many others ; but concerning them we have no information. 
They believed in future existence. Evidence that such was 
the fact is furnished both by reason and by revelation. 

Our first parents were created adult, rational and intelligent 
beings. In no particular were they children. They seem to 
have been intimate with their Creator, conversing freely with 
him, and enjoying a degree of familiarity, in this respect, not 
known by any of their posterity. Furthermore, they were 
holy and happy, probably, without the thought that either 
their holiness or happiness would ever terminate. They could 
have had no idea of death, but must have expected to exist 
forever, either on earth or elsewhere, and the death threatened 
as penalty for transgression, did not imply annihilation. Hence 
when they fell under this condemning sentence, " In the day 



THE ANCIENT SAINTS AND A FUTURE STATE. 187 

that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die," they had no 
thought of ceasing to exist, in consequence of their disobedi- 
ence. Their physical natures then became mortal, but their 
souls remained immortal. A Saviour was promised. What- 
ever may have been the penalty for their sin, in him provis- 
ion was made for its removal. It was, however, no conse- 
quence of transgression, that man should some time cease to 
exist. On the other hand, he was sentenced to an existence 
of eternal misery, and the promise that a Saviour should 
come, was an indication of deliverance from such a doom, and 
not deliverance from annihilation. Were our first parents 
forgiven, as is generally supposed, the announcement to them 
of their pardon was a guarantee of endless life, even if, in an 
unpardoned state, they had been adjudged to non-existence. 
In a word, the first pair must have believed in future exist- 
ence, when they were innocent, when the slaves of sin, and 
when restored to divine favor ; nor would they fail, during the 
hundreds of years of their earthly sojourn, to converse with 
their children and children's children, on this important 
theme. Adam lived till within about one hundred and 
thirty years of Noah, and through all that long period, he, of 
course, believed in a future state. Though the great propor- 
tion in the first centuries became notoriously wicked, some 
were remarkably pious. In that period lived the godly Enoch, 
who was translated on account of his holy life; or rather 
being ripe for removal, the Lord took him, body and soul, to 
heaven, that the event might impress upon the minds of all 
in that age, the fact of future existence. The method of com- 
munication between God and his people, in early times, was 
adapted to afford an opportunity for acquiring clear views 
respecting any 'point in which they felt an interest. And 
what question more deeply concerns a rational being than this 
— Am I to exist after I finish my pilgrimage on earth ? We 
can conceive of no subject which would awaken deeper solici- 



188 zion's pathway. 

tude in the mind of Abraham. Enjoying a familiarity of con- 
verse with the Most High, surely he would leave unasked no 
necessary question, relating to the future, till the darkness 
should be dispelled from his mind. 

Again : it is most unreasonable to suppose that God would 
fail to instruct his people on a point so essential to their well- 
being. The supposition that Abraham, or that any of the pious, 
in the times to which I refer, were left in doubt concerning 
the fact of future existence, is derogatory to the character of 
their Maker. Were the Scriptures entirely silent on this 
matter, their silence would be no evidence that any of the 
ancient saints did not believe in future existence. We might 
as reasonably conclude that the sun did not rise during those 
far off years, because the fact of its rising is not frequently 
recorded, as to infer from the silence of the Scriptures, (on 
the supposition that they are silent respecting this or that par- 
ticular,) the want of a belief touching such particulars, on the 
part of those who lived in the most distant periods of the 
world. 

Why is that desperate effort made, which we not unfre- 
quently witness, to prove that the progenitors of our race were 
ignorant, foolish creatures ? Why are men so anxious to be- 
lieve that the patriarchs and prophets were short-sighted, 
stupid beings, whose thoughts never went beyond the limits 
of the present life. The idea of future existence is in- 
wrought in the constitution of man. Probably no human 
being expects to become extinct at death. Some endeavor to 
persuade themselves, that the grave will conceal them forever ; 
yet the struggles in the minds of such men are presumptive 
grounds for believing in a future existence. Philosophers 
may speculate and lose themselves in the mists of their spec- 
ulations ; but the unsophisticated, yea, those whose only edu- 
cation is the light of nature, feel, if they do not believe, that 
there is something within themselves which survives the dis- 
solution of the body. 



THE ANCIENT SAINTS AND A FUTURE STATE. 189 

The men of the first generations were doubtless quite as 
familiar with analogies of nature as we are. As previously 
intimated, among them much important and correct tradi- 
tion was handed down from family to family ; and all who 
lived in the early ages were but little removed from the birth- 
day of the world. Though, practically, the great majority of 
the people may have been atheists, theoretically they could not 
have been atheists ; though, practically, they lived as if there 
were no future state, yet they must have believed in the real- 
ity of a future state, for the very circumstances in which they 
dwelt would not permit them to disbelieve it. 

Will any deny the existence of genuine faith in the world'3 
youthful period ? But to speak of faith as existing in ancient 
times, and yet to intimate that there was in those exercising it no 
expectation of existence after death, is attaching an import to 
the term which we cannot understand. Faith always pierces 
the sky; always goes up to God, and casts an anchor within 
the vail, sure and steadfast; it takes the heart to heaven. 
Were there a pious man before the time of our Saviour, how 
could he doubt the fact of a future existence ? 

Let us turn to the holy records, and ascertain what the im- 
pression is which they make upon our minds, in reference to 
the correctness of the conclusion derived from reason. Do 
they affirm but little ? There was need of but little being af- 
firmed. Is it any where stated in the Old Testament, that the 
ancient pious did not believe in a future existence ? Can a 
chapter be pointed out, in which this sentiment is expressed ? 
Or is it any where clearly intimated ? Should it, however, be 
seriously objected, that the existence of such a belief is not 
explicitly taught? Suppose we admit the objection, what 
must be the inference ? That such a belief was not common ? 
No ; rather that it was so common, that special mention of it 
was not necessary. It is every where implied. We cannot 
read understanding^ a page in the Old Testament, without 



190 zion's pathway. 

perceiving that the current of divine truth runs deeper than 
the surface of things. Every verse, taken in its connections 
and bearings, has manifest reference to a future state. Men 
are in all parts of the law and the prophets spoken of as ac- 
countable, and on probation. Now probation implies retribu- 
tion. As the whole of this life is represented as a scene of 
probation, retribution must take place subsequently. If there 
be future retribution, there must also be future existence. 

Allusion has been made to the intimacy which existed in 
ancient times between the pious and Jehovah. If I mistake 
not, the Scriptures speak just as if those persons who held 
communion with God, as much believed in their own future 
existence, as in the present existence of that Being with whom 
they conversed. 

Further : angels, as the Bible informs us, frequently ap- 
peared on earth in the form of men. These heavenly mes- 
sengers left indubitable proof that they came from above, and 
the manner in which the sacred writers describe the interviews 
of these visitants is adapted to make the impression, that angels 
possess visible forms, that they exist in heaven, that their 
natures are so much like the nature of man, that the latter 
may be readily accommodated to the residence of the former. 
To me it seems, that each appearance of an angel must have 
produced on the mind of him who saw the angel, the most 
vivid, deep and abiding impression of the reality of another 
state of existence for human beings. Look at the case of 
Jacob. He saw, in vision, a ladder, extending from earth to 
heaven, on which the angels were ascending and descending. 
Could he have witnessed that scene, and not have believed 
himself destined to the abode of these holy beings, provided 
his faith in God should be strong to the end of his pilgrimage ? 

Again: the wonderful providences with which inspiration 
assures us that the ancient saints were familiar, were suited to 
teach them, that it is not the whole of life to breathe for a 



THE ANCIENT SAINTS AND A FUTURE STATE. 191 

while in time, nor is it all of death to expire. I might dwell 
upon the circumstances connected with the flood ; with the 
destruction of the four cities, and with other awful visitations 
from above. There certainly is nothing in the threatenings 
connected with these events, and nothing in the manner of ex- 
ecuting the threatenings, as the transactions are recorded in 
the Scriptures, which intimates that those cut off were anni- 
hilated ; but the righteous, in such cases, who were spared, 
must have felt that hell had overwhelmed the wicked, swept 
away by judgments. Moreover, the instruction which the re- 
ligious teachers in Old Testament times were required to im- 
part, had a meaning far-reaching. The rites, also, that were 
instituted by the command of the Most High, may be appro- 
priately introduced here. They evidently looked beyond the 
limits of earthly existence ; the priests conversed with him 
who dwelleth between the cherubim. 

As another consideration, bearing upon the same point, 
namely, the impression the Scriptures make touching the 
views of the ancient saints, we may refer to their language 
when speaking of life. Evidently they regarded themselves 
as only beginning existence in time, and looked upon them- 
selves as pilgrims, who were passing from one country to 
another. When they spake of death, it was not in a style 
which the atheist employs. The doctrine of a resurrection 
was beyond a doubt held by them. Even Job, whose language 
sometimes, it is thought, seems to favor the idea that there will be 
no coming up from the grave, declares in terms too definite to be 
questioned, his belief in a future resurrection. " For I know 
that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter 
day upon the earth ; and though after my skin, worms de- 
stroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God ; whom I 
shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold and not 
another." The Psalmist speaks of awaking in the likeness of 
God. Daniel declares that the sleepers in the dust shall 



192 zion's pathway. 

awake. Numerous are the figures in the Old Testament, 
which must be regarded as almost, if not quite without a 
meaning, if the doctrines of a future existence and a literal 
resurrection, were not common to the ancient pious. And 
why the difference of language to set forth the death of the 
righteous and of the wicked, if both were to perish alike in 
the grave ? We are assured in this part of the Scriptures that 
there will be a review of all which human beings do, say and 
think. " Know thou, that for all these things God will bring 
thee into judgment." When and where will he do it ? Cer- 
tainly after death, and in eternity. 

Finally : the New Testament certifies that the saints of the 
first dispensation did believe in a state of future existence. 
Having specified a number, and intimating that others not 
named were the same in faith with those specified, an apostle 
tells us, that they did not receive on earth what God had 
promised as a reward of their fidelity, but that they expected 
it in a future state. They desired a better country, and there- 
fore the Lord was not ashamed to be called their God, but had 
prepared for them a city. They expected to be happy after 
death. It follows, of course, that this position is true, if the 
one first taken be in accordance with fact ; for if those saints 
expected to exist after the dissolution of the body, they ex- 
pected to be happy or unhappy. But they could not expect 
to be unhappy, for they were to exist in the enjoyment of God. 
The idea that death must terminate the period of the divine 
favor to them, when it would not interfere with their continued 
existence, could not have entered their minds ; at least, could 
not have continued there. Was the Saviour revealed to our 
first parents ? Then, certainly, they were made acquainted 
with heavenly felicity. Christ is no Saviour, if he do not ele- 
vate the soul to heaven. The pardoned ever aspire after an 
abode of uninterrupted tranquillity. How can it be intimated 
that Adam and Eve enjoyed the blessings secured by faith in 



THE ANCIENT SAINTS AND A FUTURE STATE. 193 

a Eedeemer, as promised, if they did not receive antepasts of 
endless blessedness, and if those antepasts were not to them 
the harbingers of their subsequent actual admission into 
heaven ? Surely they were not restored to the happiness of 
a terrestrial paradise. Far from such a state was their sojourn 
on earth. Their first son became the murderer of the second ; 
and, through all the long period of their earthly pilgrimage, they 
were witnesses of scenes which must have chilled their blood. 
What, they might have asked, avails our assurance of accept- 
ance through a Mediator, if all we receive from him is limited to 
the present state of existence, and this is such a scene of unin- 
terrupted sorrow ? Indeed, as has been intimated, we can form 
no conception of genuine faith, which does not carry the soul 
prospectively to the throne of God, and fasten it at once 
there with the anchor of hope. 

But we need not speculate, since the Bible is specific. Noah 
was a preacher of righteousness. The fact is stated by in- 
spiration. If that patriarch were a preacher of righteousness, 
he explained the rewards of the righteous, and pointed to the 
approaching flood as the harbinger of eternal wrath. Before 
his time, Enoch lived and walked with God. This fact is 
recorded in the Scriptures. He was translated. Did not that 
pious man know, when walking with his Maker, that his holy 
life on earth would be followed by the enjoyment of heaven ? 
Abraham understood as well as Paul, that the righteous can- 
not be condemned with the wicked. In pleading for Sodom, 
he says, " that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be 
far from thee; shall not the Judge of all the earth do right ?" 
Jesus testified that this patriarch had a view of Messianic 
times. Now, if the father of the faithful saw in vision Christ, 
did he not also see salvation through him ? Did not that emi- 
nent saint himself exercise saving faith, and does not such 
faith bring assurance of eternal life ? Besides, in the promise 
of an earthly Canaan, is most evidently implied the prospect 
17 



194 zion's pathway. 

of a heavenly country. It is asserted in the Epistle to the 
Hebrews, that " he looked for a city which hath foundations, 
whose builder and maker is God." The conduct of Moses 
evinces his expectation of happiness hereafter. He chose 
rather to suffer affliction with the people of Jehovah than to 
enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, because he had respect 
unto the recompense of reward. The writer of the sixteenth 
Psalm, addressing the Most High, says, " Thou wilt shew me 
the path of life. In thy presence is fulness of joy ; at thy 
right hand, there are pleasures forevermore." It matters not 
whether we regard him as expressing his own feelings, or 
speaking in prophecy the sentiments of the Messiah. In another 
place the Psalmist says, " I will behold thy face in righteous- 
ness. I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness." 
Ps. 17 : 19. Isaiah was commanded to speak thus : " Say ye 
to the righteous that it shall be well with him, for they shall 
eat the fruit of their doings ; " but when and where, if not in 
a future state ? Daniel asserts, that some of the dead shall 
awake to everlasting life ; also, that the wise shall shine as 
the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to 
righteousness as the stars forever and ever. The great truths 
of the gospel are more fully brought out under the latter dis- 
pensation than they were in the former. But when God be- 
gan to make known any thing to man by special revelation, 
future endless existence was one of the first points settled. 
The hopes and fears, the joys and the anticipations of patri- 
archs and prophets, corresponded with those felt by the pious, in 
later times ; the Bible reveals but one faith of saints. 

They believe in the endless misery of the wicked. If the two 
foregoing positions are sustained, the truth of this follows, for the 
saints of old could not believe in the future existence of all 
men, and in the eternal happiness of the righteous, without at 
the same time believing in the everlasting punishment of the 
wicked. If holiness be a passport into heaven, the want of 



THE ANCIENT SAINTS AND A FUTURE STATE. 195 

it will be the occasion of exclusion from heaven. If it be 
well with the righteous, because they are righteous, it must be 
ill with the wicked, because they are wicked. I would ask 
how can the distinction between the holy and the unholy be 
more clearly stated than it is in the Old Testament ? Is not 
the language employed in announcing the divine threatenings, 
incapable of limitation to the present life ? Examine the 
decalogue. Are not the penalties annexed to the precepts, 
far-reaching ? Must not violation always have been attended 
with the most fearful peril ? Can a different opinion be 
rationally formed ? Turn over all the pages that were writ- 
ten by inspiration prior to the coming of Christ, what do they 
say concerning the end of the vile ? " Let me die the death 
of the righteous, and let my last end be like his." " Upon the 
wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horri- 
ble tempest; this shall be the portion of their cup." "Some 
shall wake to shame and everlasting contempt." " Woe unto 
the wicked, it shall be ill with him ; for the reward of his 
hands shall be given him." Many other passages might be 
adduced of like character, and no exegesis of them which 
develops their meaning, limits that meaning to the present 
state of existence. 

A Concluding Remark. 

I have appended the foregoing suggestions, in respect to the 
ancient saints and a future state, to what I have said relative 
to the Scriptures, because the sentiments which we entertain 
on this subject, influence us in our estimate of the Old Testa- 
ment. Often have my sensibilities been shocked at what even 
good men have advanced in their comments upon the faith of 
the patriarchs and prophets. I do not claim to have demon- 
strated my positions. An attempt at direct argumentation in 
their support would seem much like trying to prove the exist* 



196 zion's pathway. 

ence of the sun, moon and stars. We have a right, nay, we 
are morally bound, to assume each of the three positions as 
true. Otherwise we make the Almighty to appear but little 
better than an infinite trifle r, in his dealings with the world, 
before the advent of Christ. Too frequently have interpreters 
of the earliest Scriptures reasoned from false premises. 



INFIDELS. 

Persons professing to believe in a Supreme Being, but deny- 
ing, at the same time, the inspiration and authority of the 
Scriptures, are denominated infidels. They are classed, like- 
wise, under the titles deists and theists, which terms are of like 
import, designating those who believe in the existence of one 
God, in opposition to atheists. The name deist, in modern 
times, is said to have been first assumed as the denomination of 
a party about the middle of the sixteenth century, by some per- 
sons "in France and Italy, who were desirous of thus dis- 
guising their opposition to Christianity, by a more honorable 
appellation than that of atheists." * An attempt was made 
in the seventeenth century to reduce deism to a system ; the 
sufficiency of reason and natural religion was affirmed, and 
the doctrine of a special revelation was rejected as unnecessa- 
ry and superfluous. Deists have been divided into different 
classes, according to the specific views which they have advo- 
cated. " We are well aware of the diversity of complexion 
which infidelity puts on." f 

An infidel does not necessarily regard the Bible as of bad 
tendency, nor the accounts therein contained as false. He 
may consider the chief facts as having occurred, though he 

* Buck's Theol. Diet., Art. Deists. f Chalmers. 



INFIDELS. 197 

must exclude the idea of any thing miraculous in their occur- 
rence. Celsus, who wrote in the latter part of the second 
century, ascribed the wonders in the Scriptures to magic art. 
Some infidels in past times, and also some at the present day, 
employ strong expressions when speaking of the excellency of 
the Scriptures. Lord Herbert, one of the class, who wrote 
in the former part of the seventeenth century, styled Chris- 
tianity " the best religion" and Lord Bolingbroke, another of 
them, said, that it is a benevolent system, and that its morals 
are pure. 

False sentiments in religion have no fixed points, no immov- 
able pillars. The advocates of error are always afloat ; they 
sail without a chart, or a compass, or a polar star, or a pilot ; 
hence their course is crooked ; in every movement they betray 
bewilderment and ignorance. They can and they do yield to 
the promptings of passion, and rush onward at its bidding, 
knowing not and seemingly caring not, whither they are 
impelled. 

Theoretically, atheism and infidelity are diverse systems ; 
practically, however, they are one. " Nor is there any other 
alternative left, than the belief of Christianity, or absolute 
atheism." It has been truly said, that " a man seldom retains 
for any length of time, his first deistical opinions ; his errors 
gradually multiply, till he sinks to the last gradation of impie- 
ty." A despiser of divine truth has himself declared, "that 
no person remains a deist, but through want of reflection, 
timidity, passion, or obstinacy." Chalmers observes, that, 
" viewed purely as an intellectual subject, we look upon the 
mind of the atheist as in a better state of preparation for the 
proofs of Christianity, than the mind of the deist." 

In attempting to exhibit infidelity, I shall, doubtless, occa- 
sionally identify it with atheism, though the latter has been 
already distinctly noticed in a preceding part of this volume. 
In the presentation now to be made, there can scarcely be a 
17* 



198 zion's pathway. 

better classification than that embraced in the following pas- 
sage of Scripture. " They are corrupt ; they have done abom- 
inable works ; there is none that doeth good." 

Tliey are corrupt. 

Infidelity can have no permanent lodgment in a pure 
mind. Frankly was it acknowledged by Lord Rochester, that 
" the source and spring of his unbelief was a space of five 
years spent in profligacy." Truth is the natural element of 
the intellect ; the soul of man aspires after eternal existence, 
and of course desires information concerning its own future 
destiny. Said a heathen, " he will be the true priest, who can 
confer immortality." The strongest intellects amid pagan 
darkness have sighed for the breaking forth of that very light 
which shines upon us from that sacred volume which the true 
God has given to the human family. It is not possible for 
proof to be more clear, than is that which supports the claim 
of the Scriptures to be a boon from heaven. " Revelation, so 
far as truth and reason can prevail, is on all sides triumphant." 
Every objection urged against it has been manfully met and log- 
ically refuted. There is not an infidel on the earth who would 
not be convinced of the divinity of Christianity were he to 
consult, candidly, its credentials. Mankind may be challenged 
to show an instance, in which, after a faithful investigation of 
evidence in support of the Bible, unbelief in regard to its 
claims has still prevailed. Of multitudes, may be affirmed 
as a fact, what one confessed in respect to himself, that he 
had read all the works of infidels, but none of those written 
by Christians. Wherefore is it thus ? Why do men wilfully 
reject the oracles of God? As already intimated, we need 
special illumination from above. Nature alone does not in- 
struct us sufficiently. She cannot send a single ray of light 
across the river of death. Ah, she leaves us as we begin to 



INFIDELS. 199 

descend its bank ! Neither a Socrates, nor a Cicero, with all 
his mental endowments and anxious search for some data on 
which to found a belief in future existence and blessedness, 
could tell what awaits a human being after death. More 
stupid than a brute is he, who does not perceive the adapted- 
ness of the sacred volume to man's mental and moral state. 
The discarding of this book, is attributable wholly to the de- 
pravity of the infidel. He is corrupt, and therefore he does not 
acknowledge the Scriptures. " Unbelief springs purely from 
evil in the heart," and not from " perplexity in the head." 
Purify the affections, and divine communications will readily 
be welcomed. It has been well said, that " truth was not 
made for the benefit of infidels, who are its foes, but for will- 
ing apprehensions." Strange expectation would that be which 
should look for a revelation from a God of perfect purity, 
of such a nature as to be acceptable to the unholy. Infidels 
must be, from the nature of the case, opposed to the Bible, so 
long as they cherish their depravity. Their hearts are dis- 
eased, and the venom thereof pours itself out through every 
avenue of their souls, and darts up into the face of high 
heaven. 

Infidels are corrupt. They are to be found only where 
Christianity has obtained a firm footing. Polytheists and athe- 
ists can exist in those countries not favored with the light of a 
special revelation ; but infidels are those who disbelieve the 
inspiration of the Scriptures, and the divine origin of the 
religion founded on them. It is an unquestionable fact, that 
all good society depends for its commencement and continu- 
ance upon the prevalence of the influence which goes out 
from the Bible. Furthermore, it is also a fact equally attest- 
ed, that infidelity is arrayed against just this state of society. 
" To obliterate the sense of Deity, of moral sanctions, and a 
future world, and by these means to prepare the way for 
the total subversion of every institution, both social and re- 



200 zion's pathway. 

ligious, wliicli men have been accustomed to revere, is evi- 
dently the principal object of modern sceptics." The same 
writer further observes, that " the immaculate holiness of the 
divine volume is precisely that which renders it disgusting to 
men who are determined, at all events, to retain their vices." 
The Scriptures are rejected simply for the reason that dark- 
ness is loved rather than that spiritual illumination, which they 
richly furnish. " For every one that doeth evil hateth the 
light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be 
reproved." 

On two great institutions does the welfare of civil society 
very much depend. They are the Sabbath and Marriage. 
With these, infidels are actively and perseveringly at war. 
Such barriers to vice they strive to demolish ; and once, in a 
certain country, where their principles gained the ascendency, 
they effected temporarily their design. Yes, the thing was done 
in France. The Sabbath, by a national decree, was abol- 
ished, the Bible was publicly burned, and on the grave-yards 
was inscribed this appalling sentence, " Death is an eternal 
sleep." Nor did their infamous proceedings stop there." 
" A vile woman, dressed as the Goddess of Reason, was pub- 
licly embraced by the presiding officer of the National Legis- 
lature, and conducted by him to a magnificent car, and follow- 
ed by immense crowds to the grand cathedral of Notre Dame, 
where she was seated on an altar, and there received the wor- 
ship of the multitudes." * 

Lord Herbert, a noted infidel, held, " that the indulgence of 
lust and anger was no more to be blamed than the thirst occa- 
sioned by the dropsy, or the drowsiness produced by lethargy." 
Woolston, another of the same school, was a gross blasphemer. 
It is recorded of Blount, that he solicited his sister-in-law to 



* See the work, "Duty of American Women to their Country." 



INFIDELS. 201 

marry him, and on being refused, shot himself. Hobbes assert- 
ed, " that every man has a right to all things, and may law- 
fully get them if he can." It is evident that Morgan had no 
regard to truth. Bolingbroke taught, that " the chief end of 
man is to gratify the appetites and inclinations of the flesh ; that 
modesty is inspired by mere prejudice ; that polygamy is a part 
of the law or religion of nature. Hume said, " that adultery 
must be practised, if men would obtain all the advantages of 
life ; that, if generally practised, it would in time cease to be 
scandalous ; and that, if practised secretly and frequently, it 
would, by degrees, come to be thought no crime at all." Tin- 
dal changed his religion merely to suit the times, and was in- 
famous for vice. Voltaire and Helvetius both advocated the 
unlimited gratification of the sensual appetites. Of the former 
of these it is said, " Impiety received him as he left the cra- 
dle." Eousseau was, according to his own " Confessions" a 
thief, a liar, and a debauched profligate. This man had a 
h.ibit of lying on all occasions, whether moved by fear to con- 
ceal his misconduct, or incited by an appetite he wished to 
gratify, or actuated by some other equally sordid motive. A 
strong disposition to thieving was likewise among his propen- 
sities. Self-indulgence was his rule, self-restraint his abhor- 
rence. He lived twenty-five years with an ignorant woman 
without being married to her, and sent her children, one after 
another, to the Foundling Hospital, regardless of the mother's 
tears. * 

Thomas Paine was a miserable drunkard, during that period 
of his life in which he was engaged preparing the second part 
of his "Age of Reason." Having separated from his own 
wife, he brought with him from France that of another man. 
" His disgusting vices, his intemperance, and profligacy, and 



* See Life of Eousseau, by Brougham. For some of the preceding facts, 
the reader may consult Home's Introduction, Vol. I., first part. 



202 zion's pathway. 

irreligion, made him an outcast from all respectable society." * 
As this man is the boast of infidels in our country, it is proper 
to give rather a particular account of him. He was born in 
England, and there he held, for a while, " a place in the ex- 
cise, but was dismissed for irregularity. Unable to get 
employment where he was known, he came to this country, 
commenced politician, and pretended to some faith in Chris- 
tianity. Congress gave him an office, from which, being soon 
found guilty of a breach of trust, he was expelled with dis- 
grace. The French revolution allured him to France. Habits 
of intoxication made him a disagreeable inmate in the house 
of the American minister, where, out of compassion, he had 
been received as a guest. During all this time, his life was a 
compound of ingratitude and perfidy, of hypocrisy and avarice, 
of lewdness and adultery. His first wife is said to have 
died of ill usage ; his second was rendered so miserable by 
neglect and unkindness, that they separated by mutual agree- 
ment ; his third companion, not his wife, was the victim of his 
seduction, while he lived upon the hospitality of her hus- 
band." 

A lady, in whose house Paine lived awhile in New York, 
states that he was daily intoxicated, and that, in his few mo- 
ments of soberness, he was always quarrelling with herself, 
and disturbing the peace of her family. " He was deliberately 
and disgustingly filthy. For a servant, he had an old black 
woman, as drunken as her master. They would both wallow 
together on the floor, swearing, and threatening to fight, but 
being unable through intoxication to make an attack. Remov- 
ing from one family to another, he would pay for his board 
only when forced to do it. Such was the author of the Age 
of Reason ; such the apostle of mob infidelity." This was the 



* Allen's Biog. Diet. 



INFIDELS. 203 

m whose birthday the haters of our holy religion celebrate.* 
tbbon exhibited the " most heartless and sordid selfishness." 
le foregoing were not very remarkable specimens of infidels, 
ntiments like the above characterize the writings of this 
tss in all countries where they dwell. 

One of the most active infidels with whom I have been ac- 
ainted, has published pamphlets expressly to promote immo- 
lity. An infidel known to the writer years since, was char- 
terized by impurity of life. Of the whole brotherhood, it 
\y truly be affirmed, " They are altogether become filthy," 
being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, 
vetousness, maliciousness ; full of envy, murder, debate, de- 
it, malignity." Such is the testimony of inspiration, and 
servation confirms it. " There never has been among them 
single good or virtuous man." f — " Under every possible 
pect in which infidelity can be viewed, it extends the do- 
ain of sensuality." % 

They have done abominable Works. 

In this we should not be surprised. Grapes are not gath- 
•ed from thorns, nor figs from thistles. A bad tree does not 
•oduce good fruit, nor an impure fountain send forth clear 
reams. Infidelity is a school of iniquity. Its disciples are 
1 taught to do evil, and they all furnish proof of an aptness 
i learn. To all the graduates of its institutions may be ad- 
ressed the impressive words of inspiration : " Your hands are 
3filed with blood, and your fingers with iniquity ; your lips 
ave spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness." 
With a design to wage war against all virtue, and as a natu- 



* See the Christian Spectator, Vol. V., pp. 141, 142. 
t Dr. Dwight. | Kobert Hall. 



204 zion's pathway. 

ral result of their destitution of correct principles, they have 
endeavored to destroy moral distinctions. "If we consider 
the nature and effects of infidelity, we shall find that it sub- 
verts the whole foundation of morals." We may perceive, 
where it prevails, a " frightful contrast of dwarfish virtues and 
gigantic vices." Its abettors call evil good, and darkness light. 
" That the civil or municipal law is the only foundation of 
right and wrong ; that, where there is no law, every man's 
judgment is the only standard of right and wrong ; that the 
sovereign is not bound by any obligation of truth and justice, 
and can do no wrong to his subjects," were doctrines of 
Hobbes. All morality was resolved by Bolingbroke into self- 
love as its principle. He maintained " that ambition, the lust 
of power, sensuality, and avarice, may be lawfully gratified, if 
they can be safely." Self-denial, self-mortification, and hu- 
mility, are not virtues according to Hume. He defended the 
propriety of hypocrisy and of suicide. " The idea of moral 
obligation was exploded among the infidel clubs in France," 
just before the revolution. "A diligent aim at confounding 
virtue and vice, levelling the demarkations of morality, laugh- 
ing at the usual reserves and decencies of life," are character- 
istic of all these blots upon creation. 



In furtherance of their direful purposes, Infidels have, to the utmost of 
their ability, corrupted the Literature of the World. 

A writer of extensive acquaintance with talented authors, 
says, that "a considerable proportion of those who pursue 
literature as a profession, may be justly considered as the 
open or disguised abettors of atheism." The poison is infused 
into all the fruits of their pens. " We charge them with a 
measure of impurity and licentiousness which has no parallel 
except in the grossest productions of heathen Greece and 



INFIDELS. 205 

Rome." * At the present day, infidel writers of small ability 
are flooding the earth with polluting pamphlets. Corrupting 
sheets, the number of which is numberless, the offspring of 
their vileness, are literally filling the world. The system has 
lost, of late, that seeming dignity which it once pompously as- 
sumed, and nothing now is too low for it to attempt. " Bred in 
the speculations of a daring philosophy, immured at first in 
the cloisters of the learned, and afterwards nursed in the lap 
of voluptuousness and of courts ; having at length reached its 
full maturity, it boldly ventures to challenge the suffrages of 
the people, solicits the acquaintance of peasants and mechanics, 
and seeks to draw whole nations to its standard." | 



Again : the Facts of Christianity are grossly perverted by Infidels. 

Nothing of candor and fairness can be found in their 
attempts to destroy the arguments by which religion is sup- 
ported. " Neither Hume, nor Gibbon, nor Voltaire, is trust- 
worthy on any matter touching upon Christianity." After 
going through all the writings of the great French infidel, " I 
could not find one argument or position which was unmixed 
truth," says a person who, having been an infidel for years, at 
length embraced the truth. % We are mournfully amused with 
the self-contradictions into which sceptics fall. Lord Herbert 
maintains that " the religion of nature agrees wholly with 
Christianity," and then he contemptuously rejects the essential 
doctrines of the latter. He contends, that the " principles of 
his universal religion are clearly known to all men, and that 
they were principally unknown to the Gentiles, who comprised 
almost all men." Hobbes lays down the position, that the 
Scriptures are " the voice of God ; "still he claims, that " they 



* Bishop Wilson. f Robert Hall. % Nelson. 

18 



206 zion's pathway. 

have no authority but what they derive from the prince, or 
the civil power." Blount argued, that " there is an infinite 
and eternal God, the creator of all things/' yet he advocated 
the eternity of the world. The Earl of Shaftesbury taught, 
that " nothing can be more fatal to virtue than the weak and 
uncertain belief of future rewards and punishments," but he also 
taught, that a firm belief of them " takes away all motives to 
virtue." He said, " the Christian religion ought to be establish- 
ed by the magistrate ; " still, where it had been thus planted, he 
made it the subject of gross ridicule. Collins declared, that 
" Christianity stands wholly on a false foundation ; " yet, he 
was so inconsistent as to speak respectfully of the system. 
Woolston made strong avowals of his confidence in sacred 
things. He affirmed that infidelity had no place in his heart ; 
that he wrote for the honor of Jesus Christ, and in defence of 
Christianity ; that his aim was to advance the Messiahship 
and truth of the holy Jesus, to whom he would ascribe glory 
for ever. After all this, we find him holding up the gospels 
as full of " incredibilities, impossibilities, and absurdities." 
They are even represented by him as resembling " Gulliverian 
tales of persons and things, which, out of romance, never had 
a being." 

It is in vain, however, to expect a full development of the 
tendencies of infidelity in any country not subject to its con- 
trol, both in civil and in ecclesiastical affairs. God has per- 
mitted this destructive system once in a certain country to be 
for a time in the ascendency, and therefore, we must direct 
attention to that particular section of the globe ; or, in other 
words, to witness a full illustration of infidel principles, we 
must look to the " French revolution." 

In Prance, infidels once obtained, for a time, the control. 
A great majority of the people had become infidels ; Chris- 
tianity, both in its profession and name, was renounced by the 
highest authority, and the abolition of its era proclaimed ; the 



INFIDELS. 207 

churches were converted into temples of reason ; contempt for 
religion became the test of attachment to the government ; all 
distinctions of right and wrong were confounded, while the 
grossest debauchery triumphed ; proscription followed upon 
proscription, and tragedy succeeded tragedy, in almost breath- 
less succession ; nearly the whole nation seemed converted 
into a horde of assassins ; hundreds of the ministers of religion 
were destroyed in the waters of a single river, whose current 
was impeded by their drowning bodies; children were sen- 
tenced to death for the faith and loyalty of their parents, and 
they, whose infancy had sheltered them from the firing of the 
soldiery, were bayoneted as they clung to the knees of their 
destroyers. To accuse one's own father was extolled as an 
" act of civism worthy of a true republican, and to neglect it 
was pronounced a crime which was to be punished with death." 
Wives denounced their husbands, and mothers their sons, as 
traitors. Many women, apparently respectable in person and 
character, " with savage ferocity, seized between their teeth 
the mangled limbs of their murdered countrymen." Sepul- 
chres of the departed were not left unmolested, while the guil- 
lotine daily toiled in its bloody work of death. The kingdom 
seemed changed into one great prison, and the inhabitants con- 
verted into felons. It appeared " as if the knell of the whole 
nation were tolled, and the world summoned to its execution 
and funeral." So fearfully rapid did the inhabitants disappear 
under the sway of infidelity, that " within the short period of 
ten years, not less than three millions of human beings are 
supposed to have perished in that single country." The 
annals of the earth present nothing like it elsewhere. " It 
was like the uncapping of a volcano, whose fires rolled one 
continuous sheet of desolation over all. The result terrified 
the world, and sent the experimentalists howling out of time, 
or crying to the rocks and the mountains to fall upon them." 
If it be questioned whether these horrors are wholly attri- 



208 zion's pathway. 

butable to infidelity, or, which is the same thing, to atheism, 
"let those who doubt this recollect that the men who, by 
their activity and talents, prepared the minds of the people 
for that great change, — Voltaire, D'Alembert, Diderot, Rous- 
seau, and others, — were avowed enemies of revelation ; that 
in all their writings the diffusion of scepticism and revolution- 
ary principles went hand in hand." Surely there is nothing 
incredible in the idea that a reign of infidelity should produce 
such results ; for the cause is proportionate to the effects. 
Substantially these very things would be developed in other 
countries under similar circumstances. It has been said, that 
" the same results from the same causes had come to pass in 
England, had not the sagacious Pitt, warned by the fate of 
his neighbors, consented to take counsel of his fears, and pre- 
pare a resisting power." * 

There is none that doeth good. 

Such a declaration admits of an unqualified application to infi- 
dels. In various relations sustained by them, useful service may 
be rendered, but whatever of that nature they effect, is done, not 
through the influence of their principles, but in spite of them, 
or rather, according to the instincts given them by God, which 
even infidelity cannot at once root out. The horse and the ox 
perform valuable labors, and there is often as much of virtue 
in the deeds of animals as in the doings of infidels. Mere con- 
formity to the natural laws instituted by the Creator, may re- 
sult in good to others. Besides, the Almighty restrains the 
evil tendencies of the enemies of Christianity. Contrary to 
their own designs, they are sometimes forced into the perform- 
ance of things beneficial. Like Balaam, they must bless when 



* Dr. Beecher. 



INFIDELS. 209 

it is in their hearts only to curse. The power to do evil is de- 
nied them, though the disposition be not wanting. In respect 
to the good they perform, it may be said that they proceed 
not as their principles instruct, but as Jehovah ordains. We 
are bold to declare of infidels, that " none calleth for justice, nor 
any pleadeth for truth ; they trust in vanity and speak lies ; 
they conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity." 

Suppose we search for the benevolent achievements of infi- 
dels, where shall we turn, or whither shall we journey ? " Into 
what obscure recesses of misery, into what dungeons have their 
philanthropists penetrated, to lighten the fetters and relieve 
the sorrows of the helpless captive ? "What barbarous tribes 
have their apostles visited, what distant climes have they ex- 
plored, encompassed with cold, nakedness, and want, to diffuse 
the principles of virtue and the blessings of civilization ? " 

We further affirm, that infidels cannot do good, except as 
divinely constrained to it ; for they are perpetually warring 
against all that is excellent in time or desirable in eternity. 
By precept and by example, to the extent of their ability, they 
prostrate the munitions of morality, and open the floodgates of 
wickedness. Plato defines education to be " that which quali- 
fies men to be good citizens, and renders them fit to govern or 
obey." According to this or any other sensible definition of 
education, what sort of educators are infidels ? Where can 
persons be found among them, of " such pure, un contaminated 
morals, unshaken probity, and extended benevolence, that we 
should be in no danger of being seduced into impiety by their 
example ? The sceptic is encompassed with nothing but ob- 
scurity, meanness, and disorder." Sensuality, in its grossest 
forms, cannot but prevail, where they enjoy the ascendency. 

Let a survey be made of civil society as it exists at the 
present day in countries influenced by Christianity, and jarring 
elements will be discovered ; yea, turbid streams may be seen 

18* 



210 zion's pathway. 

flowing through the fairest moral landscapes. These jarring 
elements and these turbid streams, are the products of infidelity. 
Governments must be overturned in order to the success of this 
system. It cannot brook legal restraints, but seeks unchecked 
indulgence. Hence, for years, infidels have been toiling to sub- 
vert the institutions of our own republic. Criminals are their 
favorites ; these shall not be punished, while innocence may be 
trampled in the dust. " To extinguish human life, by the hand 
of violence, must be quite a different thing in the eyes of a 
sceptic, from what it is in those of a Christian." In reply to 
the inquiry, what is it to kill a man, an atheist said, it is "only 
just to change the direction of a few ounces of blood!" 

We know that infidels are not influenced by the thought of 
an all-seeing Deity. Nor are they deterred from the commis- 
sion of wickedness through fear of future punishment, or 
stimulated to the performance of good works, by the hope of a 
heavenly reward. " Two consequences, the most disastrous to 
society, will inevitably follow the general prevalence of this 
system, — the frequent perpetration of great crimes, and the 
total absence of great virtues." Civil institutions are no less 
incompatible with it, than are the doctrines of the cross of 
Christ. It wages a war of extermination equally with each. 
Let it have unchecked sway, and it will shortly destroy every 
moral excellence, and convert the world into an intolerable 
hell. 

Such is a miniature view of infidelity ; imperfect it may be, 
because not sufficiently extended to lay open endless enormities. 
I have attempted only a brief survey, deriving my information 
chiefly from those who have possessed more ample means of 
unfolding its horrors. What conclusions should we form in 
respect to its ultimate influence on society? Will it overpower 
the truth of God? Shall gospel institutions fall before it? 
If Christianity remain, civil institutions will stand. 



INFIDELS. 211 



Infidelity cannot harm the Church. 

The great plan of salvation devised by the Godhead, devel- 
oped in the person of Jesus Christ, and rendered efficacious by 
the operations of the Holy Spirit, has nothing to fear from in- 
fidelity, which exists only by the suffrage of the King of kings. 
" The concessions of unbelievers are enough to establish the 
truth of the Christian religion." The evil is permitted now to 
spread, but is destined to be swept from the earth. " The 
church, like the burning bush beheld by Moses, in the land of 
Midian, may be encompassed with flames, but will never be 
consumed." Zion, the city of God, is yearly increasing in 
strength and glory. All the efforts of infidels hitherto, have 
been overruled to its advancement and glory, and it shall here- 
after be thus, for the mouth of the Lord hath declared the fact. 
We do not even ask infidels to cease from their measures to 
destroy religion, unless they are prepared to " kiss the Son." 
Their works shall be made to redound to the glory of Imman- 
uel. Many a saint we suppose will yet suffer on their account. 
" The church has endured a pagan and a papal persecution. 
There remains for her an infidel persecution, general, bitter, 
purifying, cementing." * Our pity is excited for the poor 
dupes of so irrational a system, and we will ask God the Spirit, 
for Christ's sake, to have mercy upon them. Still they ought 
to be ashamed of their debasing stupidity and gross sensuality. 
The brotherhood of human beings is disgraced by their alle- 
giance to hell, and fellowship with devils. 

Infidelity predicted. 

Inspiration has foretold the existence of this direful system, 
and its advocates are described as those, "that walk after the 



: Cecil. 



212 zion's pathway. 






flesh, in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government ; 
presumptuous are they, self-willed; they are not afraid to 
speak evil of dignities. But these, as natural brute beasts, 
made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that 
they understand not, and shall utterly perish in their own cor- 
ruption. Having eyes full of adultery, and cannot cease from 
sin ; beguiling unstable souls ; an heart have they, exercised 
with covetous practices ; cursed children." 2 Pet. 2 : 10, 12, 
14. After a similar manner speaks another apostle : 

" Clouds they are without water, carried about of winds ; 
trees, whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked 
up by the roots ; raging waves of the sea, foaming out their 
own shame ; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the black- 
ness of darkness for ever. These are murmurers, complainers, 
walking after their own lusts ; and their mouth speaketh great 
swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of 
advantage." Jude, 12, 13, 16. 

The InJideVs Recompense. 

Valueless is the reward which the infidel secures for his 
efforts ! He curses himself, while living, and reaps for his 
harvest in eternity the torments of an endless hell. 
" Strives, labors to the last, to damn himself." 
Posterity shall execrate his memory. " The name of the wicked 
shall rot ; " but " their worm dieth not, and the fire is not 
quenched." Of Herbert and Hume, Wilberforce says, " Their 
very names would scarcely be found, if Leland had not pre- 
served them from oblivion." Brief is the period allotted such 
on earth, and when they are here no more, their habitation 
will be eternally with devils. 

" Hell's mad-houses are full of such ; too fierce, 
Too furiously insane and desperate, 
To rage unbound 'mong evil spirits damned." 



INFIDELS. 213 



Baptized Infidelity. 

It is proper to state, in this connection, that there is much, 
which, though appearing under a different name, may be justly 
classed under the above caption. I refer to different sects 
of self-styled Christians, who profess adherence to revelation, 
yet discard its essential truths. Unitarianism is denominated 
by Wilberforce, a half-way house from nominal Christianity to 
absolute infidelity. If it be half-way from the nominal, how 
far is it from the real religion of the Bible ? Some one has 
said, that " infidelity is nothing more than a noxious spawn, 
bred in the stagnant marshes of a corrupted Christianity." A 
remark of Coleridge to a preacher of that heartless system 
which rejects Christ's true divinity, has much force as well as 
truth. " Sir, you give up so much, that the little you retain 
of Christianity is not worth keeping." Universalism, with its 
ever-varying features, absurdities, and contradictions, is but 
masked infidelity. Nor a whit better is Mormonism, or Per- 
fectionism, or Restorationism, or Fourierism, or Swedenbor- 
gianism. 

All sects and persons belong to the catalogue of unbelievers^ 
who do not place entire confidence in the Scriptures, as a rule 
of faith and of practice. We may not affirm our reception of 
some parts of the sacred volume, while rejecting others, and 
yet claim a rank with believers. " The Bible has God for its 
author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of 
error, for its matter." As such a volume every one must re- 
ceive it, or merit the title infidel. 

Mysteries we should expect in a revelation from God. Were 
it free from them, their absence would be presumptive proof that 
our holy book is not inspired. Creatures need to know much 
which it is impossible they should comprehend. Indeed, many 
of the plainest facts must be denied, if they are to be admitted 



214 zion's pathway. 

only on condition that they are perfectly understood. What 
phenomenon in nature may not be declared inexplicable ? 
Who has ever fully unfolded the simplest operations in philoso- 
phy ? Certain laws are discovered, and, perhaps, correctly elu- 
cidated, yet who can be sure there are not at work other more 
hidden agencies than man has ever perceived ? And why do 
any laws exist ? What has endowed matter with various attri- 
butes ? " The truth of nature lieth hid in certain deep mines and 
caves." Suppose that some truths of revelation should seem 
to be similarly located, may we ignorant creatures take it 
upon ourselves to deny them ? The time has arrived, when 
no individual should be regarded as sound in the faith, if he 
hesitate in the least to express entire confidence in the Bible. 
One part of the book is as well substantiated as another. The 
volume is an unit. 



InfideVs boast of Reason vain. 

We are sickened when we hear the advocates of infidelity 
claim to be the disciples of reason. Few, if any of them, are 
possessed of clear views in regard to the nature or the pro- 
vince of reason, for their own reason has its eyes put out. Of 
all men, they seem to be the dullest to learn either the one or 
the other, in regard to this faculty of the human soul. The 
devotees of the worst superstitions are not so violently hostile 
to the dictates of reason as are they. Reason bids us prepare 
carefully for the future, and this heathenism claims to do, while 
infidelity wholly neglects the duty. 

" Reason and conscience are casuists ; revelation alone is 
the law." The will of Jehovah, made known in the Scrip- 
tures, is the only criterion by which to test moral conduct. 
" At the precise point where our logical square will no longer 
apply, the boundaries of a higher kingdom begin." There 



INFIDELS. 215 

never can be a war between reason and revelation. Both 
proceed from the perfect Being. It is a reasonable service, 
which the Bible calls upon men to render to the Creator, Re- 
deemer, and Sanctifier. Every mouth of the Lord's enemies 
will be stopped at the day of judgment, because reason will 
have nothing to utter in their behalf. " For whatsoever a 
man soweth, that shall he also reap," is a maxim of the lively 
oracles. " No man lives rationally, who does not live piously. 
Reason and a well-regulated conscience will acquit no person 
whom religion condemns. The sentence pronounced at one 
of these tribunals, is never reversed at the other. At both, 
the sinner meets precisely the same reception." * In all the 
countless ages of eternity, the infidel will be forced to admit 
the justness of his overwhelming doom ; his reason shall be 
against him forever. 

Tlie New Phases. 

Infidelity, though the same in essentials, in every place and 
at all times, is continually varying its modes of operation. 
Recently, in this country, certain individuals have acquired 
celebrity by their boldness in advocating old principles under 
fresh epithets. I shall not honor these young assailants of 
truth so much as to allow their names a place on my pages. 
They desire to be thought champions, and doubtless expect to 
eclipse all their predecessors. Most of them, however, cannot 
acquire more than an ephemeral fame. Themselves and their 
writings are destined to an early oblivion, for their plumage 
is stolen, and their wings are waxen. None of them possess 
the talent of some of the old teachers of irreligion. 

Of late, the greatest danger to truth has arisen from the 
sacredness of the garb with which infidelity has clothed itself, 

* Dr. Appleton. 



216 zion's pathway. 

and the apparent benevolence of its aim. Superficial observ- 
ers have frequently been deceived by its arts. But the more 
penetrating by-standers only discover new illustrations of an 
old truth. " For Satan himself is transformed into an angel 
of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also 
be transformed as the ministers of righteousness, whose end 
shall be according to their works." We cannot, however, but 
utter a lamentation that so much countenance should be given 
to the green shoots of infidelity, as is done by employing them 
to lecture before literary societies. 

Pseudo philanthropy, and infidelity has none other, is 
necessarily short-lived. Its efforts are always made in the 
vicinity of the real ; and, to compete with this, greater sacri- 
fices are required than man's supreme selfishness is willing to 
sustain for any great length of time. An infidel may call as 
loudly for the destruction of an evil as does the believer ; but, 
when funds are demanded, the former soon sinks away into 
his native littleness. Nor will he vociferate against a wrong, 
except as he hopes to annihilate the Church by so doing, and 
thus destroy a good infinitely greater than man can devise. 

A few years have sufficed for the unmasking of numer- 
ous infidel societies, that sought to palm themselves off as in- 
stitutions of benevolence. Defeated in past attempts, others 
will be made. The depravity of infidels, like volcanic fires, 
must have an outlet somewhere. Fill up one crater, and 
another will be formed. While the fountain remains, erup- 
tions must occur more or less frequently. 

DEATH OF INFIDELS. 

The correctness or incorrectness of a religious sentiment, is 
not affected by the manner in which its advocates leave the 
world. Conformity to the divine standard is always right, and 
a want of it proves the delinquent to be in the wrong. Should 



DEATH OF INFIDELS. 217 

the haters of Jehovah die apparently in peace, there is for them 
nothing but terror after death, Yet, it is well to compare the 
exit of those who have confided in Christ, with that of such as 
have denied him. Infidels must all die. Numbers of them 
have already paid this debt of nature. My reader is invited 
to look at a few death-bed scenes of prominent unbelievers. 

Saurin's description. 

" O, were my tongue dipped in the gall of celestial dis- 
pleasure, I would describe to you the state of a man expiring 
in the cruel uncertainties of unbelief. Ah, see every thing 
conspires to trouble him now. I am dying ; I despair of re- 
covering ; physicians have given me over ; the sighs and tears 
of my friends are useless ; the world cannot cure me ; I must 
die. It is death itself, that preaches to me. "Whither am I 
going ? What will become of my body ? My God, what a 
frightful spectacle ! The horrid torches, the dismal shroud, 
the coffin, the tolling bell, the subterranean abode ! What 
will become of my soul ? I am ignorant of its destiny, I am 
plunging into eternal night. My infidelity tells me my soul is 
nothing but a portion of subtile matter ; another world, a vision ; 
immortality, a fancy ; but yet I feel, I know not what, that 
troubles my infidelity. Annihilation, terrible as it is, would 
appear tolerable to me, were not the ideas of heaven and 
of hell to present themselves to me in spite of myself. I 
see heaven, that immortal mansion of glory, shut against 
me. I see it at an immense distance. I see it, but my 
crimes forbid me to enter. I see hell ; hell, which I have 
ridiculed ; it opens under my feet. I hear the horrible 
groans of the damned ; the smoke of the bottomless pit chokes 
my words, and wraps my thoughts in suffocating darkness. 

" Such is the infidel, on his dying bed. This is not an imag- 
inary flight ; it is not an arbitrary invention ; it is what we see 
19 



218 zion's pathway. 

every day, in those fatal visits to which our ministry engages 
us, and to which God seems to call us to be sorrowful wit- 
nesses of his displeasure and vengeance. This is what infi- 
delity comes to ; this is what infidelity is good for ; thus must 
sceptics die."* 

Others have presented similar pictures of what themselves 
have seen in the departure from time of this guilty class. 

" I had heard groans, even if the teeth were clenched for 
fear of complaint, such as I never wish to hear again ; and I 
had looked into countenances, such as I never hoped to see 
again." Such is the testimony of a physician in regard to the 
death-bed scenes of infidels, witnessed in his medical practice.f 
Chesterfield, himself a freethinker, declared, that " when one 
does see death near, let the best or the worst people say what 
they please, it is a serious consideration." 

Death of Voltaire. 

The following are certain incidents and facts, connected with 
the dissolution of Voltaire, as gathered from authentic sources. 
" Doctor, I am abandoned by God and man ; I will give you 
half of what I am worth, if you will give me six months to 
live." When his medical attendant informed him that he 
could not survive that number of weeks, he replied, " Then I 
shall go to hell." His associates in iniquity crowded about 
him ; but, with execrations, he exclaimed, " Eetire ; it is you 
that have brought me to my present state. Be gone ; I could 
have done without you all, but you could not exist without 
me, and what a wretched glory you have produced me." 
Sometimes he would cry out, " O Christ, Jesus Christ." 
He signed a recantation of his infidel creed, and professed to 



* Saurin's Sermons, No. 23. 

t Nelson. See his Cause and Cure of Infidelity. 






DEATH OP INFIDELS. 219 

die in fellowship with the church of Eome. The physician 
affirmed, that " the furies of Orestes could give but a faint 
idea of those of Voltaire ; " and the nurse who attended him 
said she would on no account incur the danger of witnessing 
asrain such a scene as his death furnished.* 



o" 



Death of Hume. 

Hume testified, that " the comforting views exhibited by a 
belief in futurity are ravishing and delightful;" but to them 
he was an entire stranger. In the near prospect of dissolu- 
tion, he conducted neither like a philosopher, nor a man of 
sense. His conversation was foolish in the extreme, and some- 
times he amused himself with a game of cards, " as it were, 
on his coffin-lid." Just before his death he finished an essay 
in favor of suicide. In respect to the future, he was compelled 
to say, " The whole is a riddle, an enigma, an inexplicable 
mystery." A few months after the decease of this man, some 
gentlemen were conversing together in a stage-coach, respect- 
ing the comparative tranquillity with which infidels and 
Christians may leave the world. Hume being adduced by one 
of them, as an example of a happy departure from time, the 
speaker was accosted by a lady thus : " Sir, I was Mr. Hume's 
housekeeper for many years, and was with him in his last 
moments. It is true, Sir, that when his friends were with 
him, he was cheerful, and seemed quite unconcerned about his 
approaching fate ; nay, frequently, he spoke of it to them in a 
jocular and playful way ; but when he was alone, the scene 
was very different ; he was any thing but composed ; his men- 
tal agitation was so great, at times, as to occasion his whole 
bed to shake. He could not allow the candles to be put out 



* See. Christian Spectator, Vol. V., p. 343. Also Wilson's Evid. of Chris 
tianity, Vol. II., p. 231. 



220 zion's pathway. 

during the night, nor would he be left alone for a minute." 
She stated, that involuntary breathings of remorse and fright- 
ful startings, disturbed sleep, and still more disturbed wakings, 
evinced, that all was not right within. Such exhibitions of 
fear and horror continued and increased, till he became insen- 
sible.* 

Death of Hobbes and Gibbon. 

Hobbes, when alone, " was haunted with the most torment- 
ing reflections, and would awake in terror, if his candle hap- 
pened to go out in the night. He never could bear any 
discourse of death, and seemed to cast off all thought of it." 
As he drew near to the grave, he affirmed ° He was about to 
take a leap in the dark." Gibbon, under like circumstances, 
admitted, that " when he considered all worldly things, they 
were fleeting ; when he looked back, they had bean fleeting ; 
and when he looked forward all was dark and doubtful." f But 
this poor man was " full of vanity, to the last dregs of life," 
and died as the fool dieth. 



Death of Tindal and Altamont. 

Tindal died with this prayer on his lips : " If there be a 
God, I desire that he may have mercy on me." Hear the 
confessions of the expiring Altamont. " This body is all 
weakness and pain ; but my soul, as if stung up by torment 
to greater strength and spirit, is full powerful to reason ; full 
mighty to suffer. And that, which thus triumphs within the 
jaws of immortality, is doubtless immortal. And as for a 



* See Christian Spectator, Vol. V., p. 142. Wilson's Evid. Vol. II., p. 
59. Spirit of the Pilgrims, Vol. V, p. 172. 
f Buck's Religious Anecdotes. Art. Infidelity. 



DEATH OP INFIDELS. 221 

Deity, nothing less than an Almighty could inflict what I feel. 
Remorse for the past, throws my thought on the future ; 
worse dread of the future strikes it back on the past ; I turn 
and turn, and find no ray." * 

Death of Thomas Paine. 

So terrified was the above-named individual, during the lat- 
ter part of his life, that he would not suffer himself to be left 
alone, night or day. If he could discover no one by him, he 
would scream till a person appeared. A lady having informed 
him that she had committed to the flames a copy of his " Age 
of Reason" he declared, that he wished all his readers had 
been as wise ; and added, " If ever the devil had an agent on 
earth, I have been one." Amid paroxysms of distress, with 
terrific tones, he would for a long time cry out, " O Lord, help 
me ; God help, Jesus Christ, help me." When interrogated 
respecting his feelings towards the Redeemer of men, he gave 
unequivocal indications of settled hatred, and of having been 
left to believe in strong delusions that he might be damned. 

Deaths in an Infidel Party. 

A party of infidels was formed in Orange County, New 
York, upwards of sixty years since, composed of twenty men 
and some females. " They claimed a right to indulge in las- 
civiousness, and to recreate themselves as their propensities 
and appetites should dictate." In a few years, nearly, if not 
quite all of them, came to miserable deaths. One, a teacher of 
their sentiments, was shot while riding on a stolen horse. A 
brother of this man was killed by the same means, when sitting 
on a log, Sabbath morning, playing cards, and the agent of death 



* Dr. Young. 
19* 



222 zion's pathway. 

in this case was a robber. Another, being on horseback, was 
shot by a youth, the son of a man whom he had murdered. 
This one remained unburied till the crows devoured his flesh. 
A fourth, having been confined in prison for crime, committed 
suicide. Some of the number died of intemperance. Of 
these, W. C. was devoured by swine, his bones being recog- 
nized by the clothing found with them ; and J. A. was not 
discovered, till a dog brought home a part of a limb, which 
was identified by the stocking.* 

The foregoing examples may suffice for my purpose. Ad- 
vocates of infidelity exist, when their mortal bodies have 
ceased to be among men. They then eat of the fruit of their 
own way, and are filled with their own devices. " This is the 
portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage ap- 
pointed unto him by God." Let those who now despise true 
religion know that the Lord will at length bring them into 
judgment. 

The Remedy for Infidelity. 

How shall this tide of iniquity be stayed ? Who shall close 
the floodgates of pollution opened by infidelity ? Important 
questions, and easily answered. The very Scriptures, which this 
system discards, must be urged with all their power against it. 
An eminent divine once said, that " the Bible has converted 
more infidels than all other books of evidence that exist." t 
The Word of God, attended by the Holy Spirit, can slay the 
beast, and it is the duty of Christians to go forth armed with 
these weapons for the destruction of this and every sin. 

Come, thou omnipotent Renovator of the world, save the 
deluded, debased victims of infidelity, from their present 



* See "Infidelity Portrayed," by Abner Cunningham, for these and many 
more similar facts. 
t Dr. A. Alexander. 



THE SABBATH. 223 

degradation, and from the flames of that eternal hell into 
which they must quickly be cast, if not rescued by sove- 
reign grace. Jehovah of hosts, hurl them not at once into the 
lowest pit of destruction as they merit, but let thine infinite 
goodness be displayed in their behalf. 

THE SABBATH. 

In the closest connection with the inspired account of the 
earth's formation, and of man's creation, we are told that a 
part of time was sanctified. " And on the seventh day God 
ended," had already completed, as the original implies, " his 
work which he had made ; and he rested on the seventh day 
from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the 
seventh day and sanctified it." No language can more clearly 
teach, that immediately after the six days' work was performed, 
Jehovah instituted a weekly Sabbath. And can it be reason- 
ably questioned that the day was ordained for the human 
family then in its infancy, but destined to extend over the 
globe, and to exist for thousands of generations ? The fact that 
it was given to the representatives of the race, is not only pre- 
sumptive evidence of the universality of its design ; but re- 
quires us so to regard it, unless, by the nature of the case, or 
by some limiting declaration from the Author, we are forbid- 
den to view it in that light. No intimation of the kind, how- 
ever, can be found. So far is the Scripture account of its origin 
from deciding any thing concerning the discontinuance of holy 
time, we might as logically conclude that one of the six secu- 
lar days was to cease after a short period as that the seventh 
should. Adam and his companion, while holy, doubtless de- 
sired an often recurring period, when they, might be entirely 
released from the care of plants and flowers, to commune with 
their Maker. Much more then is it needful for their depraved 
posterity. " It is evident in the nature of things that a portion 



224 zion's pathway. 

of time should be set apart for worship, and for getting ready 
to die." Probably no unsophisticated reader of the second 
chapter in Genesis ever imagined that the Sabbath was not 
intended for the family of man in all the changes to which it 
might be subjected, from Eden to the end of years. Yet, per- 
sons have lived, who held that no division of time was to be 
regarded as holy, till after twenty-five centuries of the world's 
appointed period should have rolled into eternity. Such an 
opinion comported well enough with the notions of the Jewish 
Talmudists, who considered the Sabbath too good for any peo- 
ple upon earth except their own. But they, if the originat- 
ors of this curious idea, are not the only class of men who 
have endeavored to make it appear that no other nation was 
ever required to observe the Sabbath. Individuals of no ordi- 
nary pretensions to learning and piety have advocated a like 
sentiment. They have maintained that when the appointment 
of a sacred day was first issued, it was done prospectively ; that 
the Most High, looking forward two thousand five hundred 
years to the era of Israel's becoming an independent people, 
announced it for them. Surely men who can reason thus, are 
not worthy of being styled doctors of divi^'tii f 



The Patriarchs and the Sabbath. 

Perhaps some one inquires, what became of the Sabbath 
during the period which intervened between its original ap- 
pointment, and the next plain mention of it, when the descen- 
dants of Jacob were encamped in the wilderness between 
Egypt and Sinai? To this, I reply, that the day always 
returned in its allotted order ; had its own rising and setting 
sun, and was uniformly observed by the pious, as a precious 
season of holy rest and hallowed devotion. Had the day been 
suitably kept by all people, from the dawn of its existence, 
there would have been no occasion for the flood. Wickedness 






THE SABBATH. 225 

never becomes predominant where the Sabbath is duly re- 
garded. Therefore, we have no good reason for supposing, 
that a majority of the antediluvians, or Sodomites, or Canaan- 
ites, paid much attention to this sacred day. But why is no 
mention made of the Sabbath in the centuries just named ? 
Answer — the Holy Ghost did not deem it needful to make 
any record of it for the years specified. His reasons are not 
within pur reach ; but we know they were potent. We may, 
however, remark, that if the silence of the historian is to be 
taken as proof any way, it is that the day was regularly kept ; 
for had it not been, an event of so fearful a nature would 
probably have been placed upon record. It was just as unne- 
cessary to write down for subsequent ages the stated return of 
holy time, and its due observance, as it would have been to 
state frequently the common phenomena of nature. "When at 
a period later than that to which we are referring, the sun 
and the moon were arrested for a while, the wonderful fact was 
penned for the benefit of after generations. So if at any time, 
in the early days of the world, a pious man lived, and did not 
keep holy one seventh part of his time, as the Lord had 
directed, so amazing an occurrence might well have found a 
place on inspiration's page. Those familiar with the history of 
the patriarchs can hardly think they were such heathen as not 
to remember and keep the Sabbath. Circumcision is not men- 
tioned from the time of Joshua, till Jeremiah was prophet in 
Israel. Why was this omission, — because the rite was not ad- 
ministered ? No ; but, on account of the uniformity with 
which the law concerning it was obeyed. By some means, 
during the sojourn of the people in the wilderness, the com- 
mand requiring it was neglected, and this fact the sacred his- 
torian recorded. Here I would state, that there is just such 
incidental evidence of the Sabbath being known from Eden 
to Sinai, as might be expected would appear. Frequent allu- 
sion is made to the division of time into weeks. God said to 



226 zion's pathway. 

Noah, " Yet seven days and I will cause it to rain." Gen. 7 : 
4. And that patriarch, in sending forth the dove from the ark 
at different times, did it at the expiration of seven days ; 
from which we have a right to infer that time was divided into 
weeks. The word week also occurs in Gen. 29 : 27, 28. 
" Fulfil her week." Joseph mourned seven days for his father 
at the threshing floor of Atad. The three friends who came 
to sympathize with Job, sat down upon the earth seven days. 
A division of time into weeks of seven days each, appears to 
have been common among many nations. " One of the most 
striking confirmations of the Mosaic history of the creation 
from heathen sources, is the general adoption of the division 
of time into weeks, which extends from Europe to Hindostan, 
and has equally prevailed among the Hebrews, Egyptians, 
Chinese, Greeks, Romans, and northern barbarians." * Philo 
says, the seventh day is the holy day of the world. By which 
he means that a peculiar sanctity belongs to it. Josephus tes- 
tifies that " there is no city of the Grecians, nor any of the 
barbarians, nor any whatever, whither our custom of resting 
on the seventh day hath not come." f The term seven, occurs 
very frequently in the Scriptures. It " is derived from a root, 
signifying to be full, complete, entirely made up," — and is 
therefore " often called the perfect number." 



No Marina on the Sabbath. 

Our next stand-point in regard to the Sabbath is at the 
foot of Sinai. The Israelites, having been brought miracu- 
lously out of Egypt into the plain, situated at the base of the 
mountain just named, there received the law of ten commands. 
It is needful, however, to look a little further back into their his- 



* T. H. Home. f See his second book against Apion. 



THE SABBATH. 227 

tory, when God began to furnish them with manna. The sixth 
day of the week had arrived, and on the morning of it, a double 
quantity of this bread from heaven was lying upon the ground. 
But, what did it mean ? The like quantity had not previously 
fallen at once. Only a few days had elapsed since this supply of 
food began to be received. Let us hear the explanation of 
Moses : " This is that which the Lord hath said, To-morrow 
is the rest of the Sabbath unto the Lord." But when, we 
ask, had Jehovah spoken of such a sacred day of repose ? 
Verily, it was when he had finished the work of creation. 
There is naught, having the appearance of a new institution 
of hallowed time. Perhaps, during their long season of servi- 
tude, the most scrupulous among them had been compelled to 
forget the Sabbath ; and moreover, it may be, that during the 
month of their marching, they had been too much confused for 
a proper observance of the day. Now, however, the matter 
must be set entirely right. The chosen people of God shall 
begin to be characterized as a Sabbath-keeping community. 
No manna shall fall during holy hours. The seventh day 
pours its light upon the millions of Jacob's descendants ; and 
their great leader, acting by the inspiration of the Most High, 
directs them to eat the extra portion which had fallen on the 
preceding day. Then was announced a rule by which they 
were to be governed in all the subsequent period, during which 
the skies should supply them with daily bread. " Six days ye 
shall gather it, but on the seventh, which is the Sabbath, in it 
there shall be none." Certain wicked individuals went out on 
the very first Sabbath in search of the manna, — " And the 
Lord said unto Moses, how long refuse ye to keep my com- 
mandments and laws ? " To what enactments does Jehovah 
thus refer? Surely to those which he established when he 
placed man in the garden of Eden, to dress it, and to 
keep it. 



228 zion's pathway. 



The Law from Sinai. 

Behold, the top of Sinai is in a blaze ; thunders are rolling 
on its summit, which shake the whole range of Horeb to its 
deep foundations. God is there, and a law — not a single 
precept — but a code consisting of ten specifications, is pro- 
claimed by himself amid the terrific grandeur which surrounds 
him. The first specification presents the Lawgiver as the only 
object of adoration ; the next prohibits the making of any 
image or likeness of the Deity ; the third forbids the taking 
of his name in vain ; and the fourth is in these seemingly ab- 
rupt, yet significant terms : " Remember the Sabbath day to 
keep it holy." This particular item in the decalogue has been 
well styled the " golden clasp," binding together both tables of 
the law. Must we hear it said, by men who ought better to 
understand the use of languages, that now, for the first time, 
the Sabbath has an existence ; that it was born in the Ara- 
bian wilderness ? Begone, such pusillanimous attempts to be- 
little in the eyes of the world, the Sabbath of our God. Israel 
was required to remember a day, which was consecrated by 
Jehovah twenty-five hundred years, previous to the grand ex- 
hibition on Sinai. Let us for a few moments, in imagination, 
take a position on the mount where Jehovah stood and called 
the world's attention to his own holy day. From that elevated 
point, we look back through the period of twenty-five centu- 
ries, casting our eyes upon patriarchs, both antediluvian and 
postdiluvian. We behold the venerable Enoch, more devout 
as holy time returns ; and ripening each day, — but far more 
rapidly on sacred days — for that rest which is prepared in 
heaven. "We see Noah, a faithful preacher of righteousness, 
proclaiming the law of the Lord respecting the Sabbath, to 
those who lived prior to the deluge. On the top of Ararat, 
we hear him who comes forth of the ark as the chief repre- 
sentative from the old world, exhorting his household to 



THE SABBATH. 229 

remember in all their career the Sabbath day to keep it holy. 
Before us too, in sacred grandeur and heavenly simplicity, ap- 
pear Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, offering their sweet- 
est praises and most fervent prayers on this day of hallowed 
rest. The Sabbath went out from Paradise into all the world, 
but, alas, excepting by here and there a saint, it was either 
forgotten or remembered only to be abused ; and the Lord of 
hosts causes the trumpet, whose tones wax louder and still 
more loud, to summon the attention of all the earth, that he 
may repeat this all-important charge, " Remember the Sab- 
bath day to keep it holy." 

Objections considered. 

Dost thou, reader, inquire whether, inasmuch as Israel 
were the recipients of the command, they are not the only 
people upon whom it is absolutely binding ? Verily it must 
be committed to some people in particular, if it were intended 
for all men. Had the ten commandments been thrown broad- 
cast from Sinai's summit, and not written as we know they 
were by the finger of God on tables of stone, and intrusted to 
Moses, who, in after ages, would have possessed them ? The 
publishing of a tract, or a book, is always committed definitely 
to some one person or more, that it may be sent to numberless 
readers. So God must needs make choice of one people to 
communicate unto all others his immutable moral code. In 
this case he selected his own people, the true and only 
Church. 

Will any one object to the selecting of that people ? Wilt 
thou, reader, assume to be more wise than Jehovah ? Wilt 
thou insist that because the law was given to Israel, therefore^ 
it shall not include others in its demands ? Persist, then, if 
thou must trample upon the fourth precept of the decalogue ; 
yet let consistency mark thy conduct, and tread also upon the 
20 



230 zion's pathway. 

other nine. Is the interrogation changed, and am I required 
to tell why we, who live more than three thousand years since 
the exhibition on Sinai, are held by the law touching the Sab- 
bath, and not by every other enactment which issued from the 
same authority on the same occasion ? We are bound by all, 
unless evidence to the contrary shall appear. Is there any ? 
What are termed the ten commandments are equally binding 
upon the human family, wherever its members dwell, and in 
whatever age of the world they have an existence. The two 
tables constituting the moral law are so united together, and 
the several precepts are such a perfect unity, that whosoever 
offends in one point, is guilty in respect to the whole. (James 
2 : 10.) An old Talmudist was right, when he affirmed that 
the individual who discards the fourth command, denies the 
entire law. Evidence that polytheism, or atheism, or image 
worship, or profaneness, or stealing, or lying, or committing 
adultery, is not allowable, stands on precisely the same basis 
with the evidence that it is not right in any part of the world 
or in any period of time, to break the Sabbath. In the sum- 
maries that Christ gave of the moral law, he never made a 
distinction by which one or more of the precepts were ex- 
cluded. To him they were all alike holy and obligatory. But 
from Sinai issued a great number of regulations, which obvi- 
ously were not intended to be followed, except by the Israel- 
ites and Gentile proselytes. It is easy to see the difference 
between these latter and the ten commandments. God himself 
limited the period for the continuance of the ceremonial ob- 
servances, which ceased more than eighteen hundred years 
since. That code, however, termed the moral law, cannot die 
while he exists a holy Jehovah. 

Is it urged as an objection to the sentiment, that the Sab- 
bath is an institution for the world, that, in some passages of 
Scripture, the Lord reminds the Jews of his special kindness 
in giving the day to them ? There are certain texts, which 



THE SABBATH. 231 

I suppose may have suggested this objection. As for instance, 
Deut. 5 : 15, where Jehovah says to Israel, " Remember that 
thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord 
thy God brought thee out thence, through a mighty hand, and 
by a stretched out arm ; therefore, the Lord thy God com- 
manded thee to keep the Sabbath day." Also in Ezek. 20 : 12, 
we read, " Moreover, also, I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a 
sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the 
Lord that sanctify them." In these quotations of holy writ, 
I observe that the language itself precludes the idea of the 
Sabbath being only for Israel. It is the Sabbath, or God's 
Sabbath, which was given that people to be kept ; and not a 
day instituted for them. Why the Sabbath should be so iden- 
tified with them has been explained. There is great force in 
the allusion to their former bondage, when probably they were 
not allowed to rest even on holy time. While other nations 
were left to curse themselves by unceasing toil, and uninter- 
rupted wickedness, the Lord had rescued his people, and re- 
quired them to observe his day of sacred rest, which the world 
should have kept, but had not. Now Israel delivered can obey 
the law touching holy time, and if they do it, the Lord will bless 
them in so doing. On each recurrence of the day, that nation 
must have been most strikingly reminded of the contrast in 
their condition as freeman, compared with what it was in servi- 
tude. The Sabbath is a day for the remembrance of mercies. 
Had the people of these United States sustained the same 
relation to the Most High, which characterized the posterity 
of Jacob, doubtless, when our independence of the British 
yoke was fully achieved, the Lord would have directed us to 
commemorate on the Sabbath his great mercy to us in grant- 
ing us deliverance from our oppressors ; but being differently 
situated, we celebrate the fourth day of July. 



232 zion's pathway. 



A Summary of Arguments for the Sabbath. 

In concluding this part of the discussion respecting the early 
commencement, and the perpetual obligation to keep the Sab- 
bath, I introduce the following summary from the writings of 
another, varying, however, the phraseology of the original. 
That the sabbatical institution forms a part of the law of God, 
which was revealed to mankind in Paradise, we are author- 
ized to conclude for the ensuing reasons. (1.) Immediately 
after describing the six days' work of creation, the sacred writer 
says, that God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it. (2.) 
The institution is founded on a divine pattern, on the re- 
corded example of the Almighty himself. (3.) It is in accord- 
ance with the very nature of things, that such a portion of 
time should be set apart, as the Scriptures intimate the Sab- 
bath was. For the due and orderly worship of our Creator, 
and for the effectual culture of the immortal mind, the day is 
necessary ; and thus like that pure theology from which it is 
inseparable, it is applicable to all mankind in every age of the 
world. (4.) The requirement to observe the Sabbath involves 
an acceptable exercise of faith in God, who is pleased to pro- 
vide for the wants of his children, without demanding of them, 
or of inferior creatures, which are subject to man, an unbroken 
succession of days of toil.* This last reason is susceptible of 
being greatly expanded. God has ordained labor for the 
erring race of man, who, if they will not comply, deserve no 
sustenance. " In the sweat of thy face, shalt thou eat bread, 
till thou return unto the ground ; " yet that Being, whom we 
all have offended, and who has decreed that we shall procure 
a livelihood, by a severe taxing of our energies, absolutely 
prohibits secular employments on every seventh day, thus test- 



* See Guraey on the Sabbath. 



THE SABBATH. 233 

ing our confidence in his wisdom and goodness. If we sweetly 
fall in with his arrangement, then do we evince faith in his 
ability to plan for us, and also in his readiness to meet the 
necessities of that portion of time, during which we suspend 
our ordinary avocations. On the other hand, they who per- 
severe every day alike in secular employments, show that they 
have no confidence in either the wisdom or the benevolence 
of the Creator. 

On the value of this holy day, an eminent divine thus 
speaks: "It promotes cleanliness, and ministers in a very 
high degree to health and intellectual improvement ; it kindly 
remembers the working animals, and releases them one day in 
seven from their toils ; it restores ihe man of a thousand cares 
and perplexities to the bosom of his family, and affords him 
time for reading, for reflection, and for the religious instruc- 
tion of his household ; it brings more gain to individuals and 
to the public, than could possibly be derived from unremitting 
application to secular pursuits. By its weekly return, it re- 
bukes our worldliness. It is a far surer guarantee for the per- 
petuity of our free institutions, than all the physical resources 
of the country. It is, in short, the true palladium, which pro- 
tects the temple of liberty, as well as the ark of the cove-- 
nant." * Since the above extract was committed to wilting 
by its highly distinguished author, great efforts have been 
made to collect and classify facts, bearing upon many of the 
positions laid down by him ; and it has been found, by 
actual observation and experience, that the Sabbath is essen- 
tial to man, whether we consider him in his physical nature, 
intellectual endowments, or moral relations. 



* Dr. Humphrey. 
20* 



234 zion's pathway. 



CHRIST AND THE SABBATH. 

Early in his ministry, Christ said, " Think not, that I am 
come to destroy the law or the prophets." Matt. 5 : 17. But 
we meet many who seem to suppose that he did annul both, in 
regard to the Sabbath. While he affirms, " I am not come to 
destroy, but to fulfil," they insist that he did annihilate the 
fourth precept of the decalogue. 

At the outset of our examination of so singular an idea, we 
must be permitted to inform this class of persons, that they 
entirely mistake the nature of the sabbatical institution. Had 
the Saviour attempted to do away any part of the moral law, 
he would at once have defeated the end of his mission to earth. 
The Sabbath never had a place among the Messianic types 
and shadows, and of course was not a figure of him who was 
to come. As soon will the throne of Jehovah crumble, as the 
moral law cease to be universally binding on man ! The fourth 
commandment abrogated ? No ! It remains as it was placed, 
" in the bosom of the decalogue," and forms now, as it did 
originally, the " golden clasp " which joins together the two 
tables of the imperishable code. The Sabbath, which began 
at the close of the six days' work, whose first dawn was 
celebrated by the song of the morning stars and the shout of 
the sons of God, will not withdraw its claims for a sacred 
regard, till all the redeemed have come to the celestial Zion ; 
never shall it be annihilated. It may be eventually lost, not 
destroyed ; lost in its anti-type, heaven, as the twilight of the 
morning disappears in the splendor of the rising sun. 



The Miracles performed on the Sabbath. 

Still some with apparent sincerity contend, that Jesus virtu- 
ally set aside the Sabbath by his example and occasional 



THE SABBATH. 235 

remarks ! Many, who are notoriously reckless in respect to 
holy time, appeal to the doings of Christ for support ! He 
sanctions their trampling upon those days which Christians 
deem sacred ! 

I will therefore, as a believer in the sinlessness of the 
Saviour, and as a sincere inquirer after truth, carefully ex- 
amine his conduct in reference to the observance of the 
Sabbath. Two points should be investigated ; and the first 
may be thrown into the following question : 

Under what circumstances, did Christ act in regard to the 
Sabbath ? The second has respect to the things done by him, 
which are thought to countenance loose views and practice 
relative to Sabbath keeping. 

I. The circumstances. Let it be remembered, that the Lord 
Jesus never wasted words ; that he always adapted his in- 
struction to the need of those whom he addressed. Hence, if 
there were no occasion for him to urge the Jews to a stricter 
external observance of the Sabbath, than he witnessed, we 
ought not to expect to hear him doing it. It is a fact, that at the 
time of our Saviour's sojourn on earth, the nominal people of 
God did rigidly obey the fourth command, as to the mere 
outward requirement, being scrupulously and super stitiously 
exact. There was no other part of the Mosaic code, on which 
they so much insisted, as upon the law of the Sabbath. Holy 
days were kept by them with the greatest visible strictness 
and severity. They would suffer themselves to be cut in 
pieces by their enemies, rather than use self-defence during 
sacred hours. It is convincingly evident, that they needed no 
admonitions for a closer external observance of sanctified time. 
But how were they in respect to the spiritual part of the 
requirement ? In this they were lamentably deficient ! They 
were remarkably degenerate and corrupt j vice abounded. 
" To the law of God, was added a multitude of unauthorized 
traditions." The Pharisees advanced as many as thirty-nine 



236 zion's pathway. 

negative precepts respecting things, which might not be done 
on the Sabbath, and these precepts generally branched out 
into various minor details.* In a word, at the time of Christ, 
the Jews were resting in an irrational, external regard for the 
Sabbath, whilst its true intent was not heeded by them. The 
fourth commandment stood in all its power and glory. Where- 
fore there was no more need of Messiah's giving a new law 
for the proper keeping of holy days, than there was for him 
to make a new sun to enlighten the earth. 

II. The things done by the Saviour, which are supposed 
wholly to set aside the Sabbath, or at least greatly to lower 
the standard of keeping it. 

In Matthew 12 : 13, we find it recorded, that he on the 
Sabbath restored to vigor a man's withered hand. Luke men- 
tions in chap. 13 : 12, of his gospel history, the case of a woman 
who had been infirm eighteen years, and whom Jesus healed 
on the Sabbath. She was so bowed together, that she " could 
in no wise lift up herself." The compassionate Redeemer, see- 
ing her, called her to himself, and said unto her, " Woman, 
thou art loosed from thine infirmity." John mentions in chap- 
ter 5, of his narrative, the healing of a man at the pool of 
Bethesda, and (9th chap.) the giving of sight to a man who 
had always been blind. Both these miracles were performed 
during holy time. The above are not all the instances of what 
are termed Sabbath-breaking miracles ; but they are promi- 
nent ones, and form a fit example of all. In relation to them, 
I submit a few remarks ; and, 

1. The miracles performed by Christ on the Sabbath, furnish 
no evidence that he ever absented himself from public wor- 



* See the work of J. J. Gurney, on the Sabbath. This man, deceased 
•within a few years, was a learned and pious member of the Society of 
Friends in England. He wrote a book in defence of the Sabbath, which may 
well claim the regard of all classes. 



THE SABBATH. 237 

ship for the sake of performing them. He whose withered 
hand Jesus restored, (see Matt. 12 : 13,) was in the synagogue 
at the time of the miraculous cure. So was the woman 
whom Luke mentions, (13 : 12.) The man at the pool, 
Bethesda, was under the very eaves of the temple, and his 
divine Benefactor was probably either entering or coming out 
of the temple ; that is, was either going to or returning from 
public worship, when his pitying eye fell on the cripple. 
Eight and thirty years had this individual been diseased, and 
long had he waited at the pool for healing, because an angel 
descended at a certain season, and imparted healing proper- 
ties to the water. But his lingering had amounted to noth- 
ing. Another person always stepped in before him and cut 
off his opportunity. How could the compassionate Jesus pass 
him, without showing him mercy? Respecting the miracle 
wrought upon the man born blind, the circumstances are 
these : Christ had been teaching in the temple, where he 
declared, in plain terms, his own divinity ; at this, the Jews 
were so enraged, that they procured stones to cast at him ; 
(see John 8 : 59.) Thus assailed, the Redeemer escaped, and 
passing out of the temple, he saw this man that had never 
seen, and who was then, perhaps, feeling his way into the 
sacred edifice, in order to hear words from the lips of the 
Divine Teacher. A fit subject, truly, was he to receive the 
pity and favor of the merciful Mediator. How suitable, too, 
it was, that a miracle proving his own divinity, should be 
wrought there by Jesus. The Jews disbelieved his word, 
perhaps they will regard his work. On account of his teach- 
ing they took up stones to cast at him ; but will they not 
soften down if he perform before them a notable miracle? 
Surely, if the Son of God cannot be allowed to preach on the 
Sabbath, no one should object to his giving sight to a blind 
man on that day. If not permitted to open the eyes of the 
mind, let him operate on those of the body. If not allowed 
to benefit men's souls, let him do good to their flesh. 



238 zion's pathway. 

2. No circumstance connected with these miracles, indi- 
cates the least design on the part of Christ to lower the high 
standard of Sabbath-keeping, which was originally set up. 
These benevolent interpositions in behalf of the afflicted, were 
a part of the holy work, which he came to perform. What 
Christian, of even puritanical exactness, judges it wrong to 
pray on sacred days for the sick ? Is it not a time-honored 
practice to desire public prayers for them ? If it be proper to 
ask on the Sabbath, healing for the diseased, it cannot be im- 
proper for the only restorer of health, to hear and answer on 
that day our prayers. Away, then, with all this pharisaical 
quibbling about Christ's breaking the Sabbath by working 
miracles. He might as justly be accused of violating the 
fourth command by publishing salvation. 

3. All the miracles which our Saviour performed during 
holy hours, were not only adapted to refute the superstitious 
notions of the Jews, but to promote a sacred regard for the 
Sabbath by attending regular worship. They may have been 
performed, in some cases, as illustrative of positions or decla- 
rations in his public discourses. Two of the remarkable cures, 
to which our attention has been directed in this article, were 
effected in the synagogue, at the time of divine service ; and 
the other two occurred near the temple of God. Think, 
reader, of that man with a withered hand, and of that woman 
so bowed down, as not to be able to lift up herself. How 
infirm ; yet both were at the place of public worship. Would 
you have been there under such circumstances ? On the other 
hand, would you not have failed of being cured, by neglecting 
to meet the infallible Physician in the place appointed ? Ver- 
ily, did Christ honor the Sabbath by his miracles wrought on 
that day ; and peculiar favor did he show to those who made 
sacrifices, to appear before God in his earthly courts. May 
we not reasonably suppose, that Jesus will now confer marked 
favors on those who are peculiarly careful not to forsake the 



THE SABBATH. 239 

assembling of themselves together for prayer and praise ? Is 
he not now, as well the restorer of strength to the weak, as 
the giver of peace to the penitent and believing ? Can it be 
at all surprising that multitudes are very feeble when we con- 
sider how seldom they attempt to walk to the house of God ? 
Who can reasonably doubt that Jehovah frowns upon the 
neglecters and unfrequent attendants at his temple ? Oh, the 
apologies that are made for neglecting the sanctuary ! Many 
professors of religion seem to regard a meeting-house as a 
prison. They do not enter it half so cheerfully as Paul and 
Silas went into the dungeon at Philippi. Not a few, who 
ought to be glad when it is said, " Let us go into the house of 
the Lord," stop their ears at the call. Whence this dislike of 
God's tabernacles ? Have they ceased to be amiable to his 
people ? Ah, whoever loathes the sanctuary, is not a Chris- 
tian. Love for public worship is one of the surest proofs of 
piety, and where this evidence is lacking, none beside can 
convince. 

4. It was the custom of our Saviour to honor the Sabbath 
by attending the services of the sanctuary. " And he came 
to Nazareth, where he had been brought up ; and, as his cus- 
tom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and 
stood up for to read. — And came down to Capernaum, a city of 
Galilee, and taught them on the Sabbath days." See Luke 4 : 
16, 31, etc. Our blessed Redeemer set an example of keep- 
ing holy time, and happy are they who copy it. It is lawful 
to do good on a sacred day, and the mode in which we are re- 
quired to attempt it, is to hallow the consecrated hours by 
private and public worship. 

His Disciples and the Cornfield. 

There is a transaction of our Saviour, relating to the Sabbath, 
which does not rank under the head of miracles, but to which 



240 zion's pathway. 

frequent appeal is made by the violators of the fourth com- 
mandment. Three Evangelists have recorded it. Matthew 
12 : 1, states the case thus : " At that time, Jesus went on the 
Sabbath-day through the corn ; and his disciples were an hun- 
gered, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat." Cer- 
tain Pharisees saw this procedure, and entered complaint to 
Jesus that his disciples had dishonored holy time. " Behold, 
thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Sab- 
bath-day." Jesus defended the accused, and upbraided the 
accusers, charging them with condemning the guiltless, and 
declaring that " The Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath- 
day." 

In the course our Saviour took concerning the accusation 
of the Pharisees, many persons seem to suppose that they have 
full liberty granted them, by him, to riot and ramble, work and 
play, fish and hunt ; yea, even to plunder in the fields of their 
neighbors on the Sabbath. Perhaps it may not be impertinent, 
to ask such individuals, whether they ever look to the Lord 
Jesus, for authority in other matters, besides Sabbath-breaking. 
We might inquire of them, if they have so much as read the 
sermon on the mount. Indeed, it might not be amiss to put 
to them a question of this nature: Did you ever carefully 
read those verses, narrating the event to which you refer, 
for encouragement in treating with disrespect the holy day ? 
We have generally found that those who attempt to defend 
their wickedness, by an appeal to the Scriptures, are utterly 
ignorant of what inspiration does teach on any given subject. 

Since, however, the Sabbath-breaker appeals to authority 
so high and weighty, it becomes us to examine the deed which 
offended the Pharisees, but delights the enemies of all, even 
external righteousness. 

1. As to the corn or cornfield, we observe, that the term, 
corn, means grain. The field through which our Saviour went 
with his disciples, was, probably, one of wheat or barley, and 



THE SABBATH. 241 

this fact is noticed, because to pluck a few heads of wheat or 
barley, is much less like manual labor, than is breaking off 
heavy ears of corn, such as grow in our fields. The act per- 
formed by the disciples was easy and trifling. We can hardly 
pass along the side of a wheat-field without doing the same 
thing, though not at all influenced by hunger. 

2. It should be noticed that the Pharisees did not complain of 
Christ and his disciples for passing through the corn ; it was 
the plucking and eating that gave the offence. Hence, I sup- 
pose, that our Lord and his company were not going out of 
their direct way. It is stated, on good authority, that there 
were in Judea, paths leading through the fields of grain, which 
were designed to accommodate people, just as we have them, 
to shorten distance. Jesus and his band of followers did not 
turn aside from the shortest course, which lay through a field 
of grain. We are warranted in the supposition that they were 
all hastening to a place of worship. 

3. The disciples were in want of food, and Jesus, their Mas- 
ter, was poor, not having " where to lay his head." He had 
no house of his own, into which to invite his fatigued friends ; 
no store from which to give them supplies. Indeed, they were 
dependent on charity. Were they, however, in possession of 
money, they would not have made purchases on the Sabbath, 
if the transaction could possibly be avoided. 

Zeal for God may have been the occasion of the fainting 
condition of the disciples. Henry shrewdly remarks, "they 
were hungry, because, intent on Sabbath work, they forgot to 
eat bread, or spent so much time in morning worship, they had 
no time for their morning meal, but came out fasting, because 
they would not come late." Lightfoot says, " the custom of 
the nation had as yet held them fasting, which suffered none, 
unless they were sick, to taste any thing on the Sabbath be- 
fore the morning prayers of the synagogue were done." But 
it is needless to inquire minutely for reasons ; the disciples of 
21 



242 zion's pathway. 

Jesus felt, as we all have felt, hungry. We have large sup- 
plies at hand ; they had only ears of standing grain. " It was 
a dry breakfast, but the Pharisees would not let them eat that 
in quietness." A law of the land, given by God himself, al- 
lowed them to pluck those ears of corn, and to eat as much 
as they might need. " When thou comest into the standing 
corn of thy neighbor, then thou mayest pluck the ears with 
thine hand ; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neigh- 
bor's standing corn." Deut. 23 : 25. It is common now, in 
the land of Palestine, to do just what the disciples of Jesus 
did when they plucked those ears of grain. "Our Arabs 
were an hungered, and, going into the fields, they plucked the 
ears of corn and did eat, rubbing them in their hands."* 

Thus it appears, that the thing done, the circumstances of 
the case, and the defence of his disciples by Jesus, do not af- 
ford the least countenance to violations of the Sabbath. One 
may as well resort to an iceberg for heat, or to a cavern for 
light, or to a cloud for support, as to this portion of sacred 
history, for countenance in breaking the fourth commandment. 
We urge you, all ye despisers of God's holy day, to take this 
account recorded for your instruction ; examine it with care, 
and ye will find nothing to quiet an uneasy conscience. 

To strange expedients are ye driven, who trample on Jeho- 
vah's law ! Into what an abyss are ye plunging ! How madly 
set upon destroying yourselves ! Let common sense exert a 
moderate sway over you, and we shall no more hear you say- 
ing that Christ broke the Sabbath by working miracles ; or 
that by performing them in holy time, he countenanced lax 
views in res ect to it, or that he did thus in any way. 

One statement of the sacred historian, speaks most decided- 
ly in respect to the influence which Christ's teaching and life 



* Robinson's Bib. Researches, Vol. II., p. 192. 



THE SABBATH. 243 

exerted on his followers, in regard to the observance of the 
time as holy. Certain females, who had accompanied him 
faithfully during his ministry, who came with him from Gali- 
lee and witnessed his crucifixion, were spectators of his burial. 
They "beheld the sepulchre and how his body was laid." 
Desirous of doing all in their power to honor, in his death, 
him whom they had loved and worshipped while he was living, 
" they returned and prepared spices and ointments, that they 
might come and anoint him." But do they hasten back as 
soon as they have made ready for their last office of affection ? 
Night had overtaken them. It was too late for a return that 
evening. May they not come early the next morning ? They 
did not, but " rested the Sabbath-day, according to the com- 
mandment." Luke 23 : 56. Here is a comment on our 
Saviour's practice, with reference to that portion of time 
which had been set apart as holy from the beginning of the 
human family. Those who were the most like him, who were 
fearless in following him, would not even go to his grave on 
the Sabbath ; and the simple reason was, the law of God did 
not allow them to do it. The fourth commandment would not 
permit their leaving the sacred duties of worship, for a visit, 
though most piously intended to the resting place of Jesus. 

Change of the day. 

It is commonly believed among Christians, that the Sabbath 
was changed by Christ himself, from the seventh to the first 
day of the week ; and prophecy, they suppose, had long before 
pointed out such an event as to occur in the Messianic era. 
See among other passages, Ps. 118: 22, 23, which "are quoted 
six times in the New Testament, and expressly applied to 
Christ." # The practice of almost the entire brotherhood of 



*Dr. Scott. 






244 zion's pathway. 

believers for eighteen hundred years, has conformed to the above 
named conviction. If any persons cannot be convinced that 
our Lord did make such a transfer of the time, they should 
scrupulously adhere to the original arrangement. But they 
ought to form a community by themselves ; at least they should 
not, while in a small minority, set at defiance the wishes of 
millions who desire to enjoy a quiet Sabbath on the first day 
of the week. 

If we regard Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah, we can 
entertain no doubt of his authority to effect an alteration in the 
time of keeping the Sabbath, demanded by the good of the 
church, provided there were any such. " For the Son of man 
is Lord even of the Sabbath-day." Matt. 12 : 8. In this 
declaration, made by himself, Christ asserted his absolute 
sovereignty respecting the Sabbath. That he did change the 
observance from the seventh day to the first, admits of no 
reasonable doubt. From the time of his resurrection, the 
apostles kept the first day as the Sabbath, not as another com- 
memorative occasion, but as the day required by the fourth 
commandment. Yet a new event was to be celebrated on each 
return of sanctified hours ; the completion of the work of 
redemption. In the original constitution, the day to be kept, 
was called the seventh of necessity. Only six in all, had gone 
before it. We may name ours the seventh, if we please. It is 
so, in relation to the six which weekly precede it. A seventh 
part of time, God instructs us to keep holy, and when he 
clearly draws the line between the secular and the sacred, woe 
to us, if we do not heed it. But suppose the church to have 
been honestly in error respecting the proper day, ever since 
Jesus rose from the dead, Jehovah has not been offended by 
the mistake. His institution has been honored in all these 
many centuries. We know very well why some people insist 
so much upon the seventh day. It is in their hearts to trample 
upon all the restraints of religion. A few, we admit, may have 



THE SABBATH. 245 

scruples about keeping the first day as holy ; this number, 
however, is exceedingly small. Some have argued, that the 
time of keeping the Sabbath was changed by Jehovah, to com- 
memorate the egress of Israel from Egypt, and that the day of 
the week now called the first, falls precisely where the seventh 
did prior to the deliverance of that people from bondage. 
With the data on which they base their opinion, I am not 
familiar. God evidently may, any year, change the day of 
the week for keeping the Sabbath, without affecting the per- 
petuity of the institution. 

In reference to the change as effected at the time supposed, 
the argument stands briefly thus : * Christ was crucified on 
the day preceding the Sabbath, and arose on the one which 
followed it, and from the period of his resurrection until now, 
the first day of the week has been observed as the Sabbath. 
Can any one doubt the authority of the Redeemer of the world 
to change the day ? His apostles surely could not have indulged 
the thought of changing it without divine authority. The 
terrible sanctions of the law might have fallen upon them for 
daring to interfere with sacred time. We know, that if they 
were good men, they could not have made the alteration of 
their own accord. The idea that they wickedly made the 
change, cannot be entertained for a moment ; yet the time has 
been changed. On the evening of that eventful day, when the 
Lord of glory arose from the tomb, he met with his disciples. 
In just one week, he was with them again. John 20 : 19, 26. 
It is probable that he ascended to heaven on the first day of the 
week, and it is certain, says Gurney, that the Pentecost occur- 
red on it, when the Spirit was so abundantly shed forth upon 
the apostles, and three thousand others were baptized by its 
descending influences. The Acts of the apostles, and the 
epistles, contain accounts of meetings on the first day of the 



* For a full exhibition of this subject, see the Sabbath Manual. 

21* 



246 zion's pathway. 

week for religious purposes. Moreover, the Christian fathers 
from the apostolic age, down, are specific in their testimony res- 
pecting the observance of the first day. Barnabas, who, if not 
a cotemporary with the apostle Paul, lived soon after him, says, 
" We keep the eighth, that is, the one after the seventh, as a 
joyful, holy day, on which day Jesus also arose from the dead." 
Ignatius, A. D. 101, Clement of Alexandria, A. D. 192, and 
Origen, A. D. 230, testify that the first day was observed as 
the Sabbath. The younger Pliny, governor of Bythiriia, 
A. D. 107, relates that Christians were accustomed to meet 
on a stated day before light, and " to repeat among themselves 
a hymn to Christ as to a God." What that stated day was, is 
apparent from the manner in which the Roman persecutors 
addressed the victims of their cruelty, viz., " Dominicum ser- 
vasti ? Hast thou kept the Lord's day ? " To this was 
returned the following answer by the accused, " Christianus 
sum, intermittere non possum. I am a Christian — omit it, 
I cannot." Justin Martyr, A. D. 147, says, " Christians meet 
on the day called Sunday, for religious worship." " On the 
Lord's day, every one of us," observes Irenseus, " keeps the 
Sabbath, meditating on the law, and rejoicing in the works of 
God." According with the testimony of the foregoing we have 
the declaration of the apostle John : " I was in the Spirit on 
the Lord's day." Rev. 1 : 10. That he meant some particu- 
lar day, differing markedly from ordinary time, is obvious ; 
nor can there be a doubt, what day is intended. 

Is Paul at variance with Christ ? 

From an examination of the course pursued by Christ in regard 
to the Sabbath, let us turn to the writings of the apostle Paul, 
for in these, some shelter themselves, while treating all days 
alike. There are two passages in his epistles, which are sup- 
posed, by this class, to render null the obligations of man to 



THE SABBATH. 247 

keep the Sabbath. The first is Romans, 14 : 5, 6, " One man 
esteemeth one day above another ; another esteemeth every 
day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own 
mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord ; 
and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not 
regard it." The other is Colossians 2 : 16, 17 : "Let no 
man therefore judge you in meat or in drink, or in respect of 
an holy day, or of the new moon or of the Sabbath days, 
which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of 
Christ." With reference to these quotations from the writings 
of Paul, we may affirm : 1. There is no positive proof, that in 
either of them, any reference is had to the day usually desig- 
nated the Sabbath, for the discussion is about meats and drinks, 
and the various festivals of the Jews, called Sabbaths. 

2. No reference is made here to the first day Sabbath, for 
at that period, it was called " the Lord's day" to distinguish it 
from the seventh day Sabbath, and from other feast daj^s of 
the Jews. " In the apostolic age, there prevailed a distinction 
between the name of the first day of the week, and of the 
seventh. The former was called the Lord's Day ; the latter 
the Sabbath." Chrysostom says, that after the resurrection 
of Christ, the day to be kept holy, was called by the apostles 
and the churches, Lord's Day, in honor of the event. A dis- 
tinguished writer who has devoted much attention to this sub- 
ject, observes, " That all the later Christian fathers made the 
distinction just mentioned, need not be proved to any one, 
acquainted in any tolerable degree, with the ancient writers of 
the Christian church." 

In the apostle's time, there was a set of Judaizing believers, 
who sought to impose upon the Gentile converts, the Mosaic 
ritual and observances, and it was in reference to such a class 
of persons, that Paul expressed himself in the passages cited. 
The context evinces this fact. Judaizers observed the first 
day, and also the seventh. " They keep the Sabbath accord- 



248 zion's pathway. 

ing to the Jewish law," says Theodoret, " and sanctify the 
Lord's Day, in like manner as we do." In the words of an 
author just quoted, " The zealots for the Jewish law wished 
the Jewish Sabbath to be observed, as well as the Lord's day, 
for about the latter, there appears never to have been any 
question among any class of the early Christians." 

Such facts as have now been stated, are sufficient to remove 
all difficulty from Eom. 14 : 5, 6 ; Colos. 2 : 16, 17. Paul 
did not suppose it impossible for one to be a follower of Jesus, 
who, in addition to keeping the^rs^ day, also kept the seventh, 
though it is hardly probable, that he would have considered 
any man pious, who refused to observe the Lord's day. 
" That the early Christians never understood Paul, as renounc- 
ing the Christian Sabbath, is sufficiently manifest from the 
fact, that one and all of them held the first day of the week to 
be sacred. Nothing can be more erroneous, than to represent 
the ancient church as halting, or divided about the observance 
of the Resurrection day. It was about the seventh day or 
Jewish Sabbath, that all the disputes arose of a Sabbatical 
nature." 

As to the manner in which the primitive disciples kept the 
Sabbath, light is afforded by ecclesiastical history. Euse- 
bius states, that all nations redeemed by Christ, were accus- 
tomed to hold assemblies for worship on the Lord's day. The 
hours of holy time were as strictly observed by the early Chris- 
tians, as the Jews were commanded to observe them. "All 
things whatsoever it was duty to do on the Jewish Sabbath, 
these," says the historian, " we have transferred to the Lord's 
day." * 

The writer was favored with correct instruction and exam- 
ple in regard to the Sabbath, from his earliest years ; yet he 



* See Prof. Stuart's notes on Gurney, for many of the quotations in this 
article. 



THE SABBATH. 249 

remembers that one man, who came from another State into the 
author's native town, professed to despise the Sabbath from prin- 
ciple, and he referred to what the apostle says, in the passages 
upon which I have here remarked as his authority. It cannot 
be denied, that many have wrested this part of the Bible to 
their own injury and to the dishonor of religion. 

man's need of the sabbath illustrated. 

On a certain occasion, Christ declared that the Sabbath was 
made for man ; using this last term in its most comprehensive 
or generic sense. It was not instituted for the angels, nor for 
the devil, as some appear to think ; nor for this or that people 
in particular, but like water, air, and light for all the dwellers 
on earth, without respect to locality, or the period of time in 
which their existence occurs. Human beings were not created 
for the sake of the Sabbath, affirms the same infallible authori- 
ty. Let us, in brief, illustrate the above declaration of Jesus.* 

1. Man's physical frame needs the Sabbath. The rest 
which it allows from the ordinary cares of the week, is in this 
respect essential. Persons best acquainted with our bodily 
functions, testify to the necessity of a day's weekly cessation 
from secular toils. They are sure, from their own experience 
and observation, that the Sabbath, as a season of rest from 
temporal employments, cannot be given up without the most 
ruinous effects in regard to health. God has so constituted us, 
that we must cease from ordinary pursuits a seventh part of 
time, or suffer. Life's resources become exhausted in a meas- 
ure at the close of each day ; they, however, are in a degree 
restored by the rest of night, but not entirely. The close of 
the week finds the laborer less vigorous than he was on 



* The reader is referred to the Sabbath Manual for some of the authori- 
ties in this article. 



250 zion's pathway. 

Monday morning, provided the Sabbath had been suitably ob- 
served. But if that day be not properly regarded, its return 
does not recruit the exhausted energies. Violators of the 
fourth command are not the most profitable help to employ in 
the factory ; at the counter ; in the shop ; or on the farm. No 
injustice would be done, if a distinction were made in the 
weekly wages of those who do, and those who do not, keep the 
Sabbath, giving preference to the former. Besides being un- 
able to accomplish as much, those regardless of holy time are 
reckless. They cannot safely be trusted with important inter- 
ests ; if not watched, they may ruin whatever they handle. You 
cannot confide in a Sabbath-breaker any where, for he is des- 
titute of good principles. 

It is the testimony of Spurzheim, that " the cessation of 
labor one day in seven, contributes to the preservation of 
health, and to the restoration of the bodily powers." Sir 
Matthew Hale, who had been for nearly fifty years conversant 
with men of business, and who was a careful observer of the 
affairs of life, made this statement : " Whenever I have un- 
dertaken any secular business on the Lord's day, (which was 
not absolutely and indispensably necessary, that business never 
prospered and succeeded well with me. Always the more 
closely I applied myself to the duties of the Lord's day, the 
more happy and successful were my business and employments 
the rest of the week following." Mr. Schoolcraft, who, in com- 
pany with twenty men, examined the Upper Mississippi in 
1830 and 1832, says, " they performed their tours in less time 
than companies usually do which travel on the Sabbath, though 
they uniformly suspended labor on that holy day." He was 
convinced, that they gained much by resting one day in seven. 
" In the West Indies, slaves were at a certain time required to 
labor six days in the week for their masters, and the seventh 
for their own support." Feeble health and short life were 
the consequence. 



THE SABBATH. 251 

A public institution in England, employing two thousand 
hands, required for a while Sabbath labor, but afterwards, it 
was prohibited ; the result showed that the same number of 
hands would accomplish more by working six days in a week, 
than by working seven. 

2. The Sabbath was made for man's intellect. In this re- 
spect it is of immeasurable va ue. No one that observes the 
day as he ought, can be grossly ignorant. Go into a commu- 
nity where the house of God has been uniformly frequented, 
and you will search in vain among the constant worshippers 
for those sinning cyphers common in some places. In the 
words of another, " Ignorance and barbarism form no part of 
the character of the men who revere the Lord's day. It is 
impossible to condemn to meanness and obscurity the individ- 
ual or the community who rejoice in the light of the Christian 
Sabbath. Carry the privileges of this day to the most abject 
on the globe, and just in the proportion in which they are sub- 
ject to its influence, do you elevate them from their intellectual 
degradation." * 

It is found to be as true of the mind as it is of the body, 
that it requires a weekly respite from its ordinary avocations. 
An English gentleman, who had been for fifty years connected 
with the profession of medicine, and who had, during that time, 
been in the habit of considering the uses and the abuses of the 
Sabbath, affirms that, when the mind has been engaged closely 
six days in a week, it will be injured by continuing that ap- 
plication longer without relaxation. He moreover affirms, 
that the exercises usually connected with the worship of God 
on the Sabbath, are adapted to the exhausted energies of the 
mind. 

Wilberforce declared that he could never have performed 
so much public business as he did, had it not been for the rest 

* Dr. Spring ; from whom there are other quotations in this article. 



252 zion's pathway. 

which he enjoyed in the hours set apart by the Most High as 
holy. 

3. As a member of society man needs the Sabbath. That 
human beings should exist in an associated condition, was evi- 
dently designed by the Creator. Evil, God abhors, wherever 
found ; that human society has many wrongs is obvious. In 
order that communities be prosperous, they must be regulated 
by salutary restraints ; and what is so calculated to hold man- 
kind within proper limits as a due observance of holy time ? 
Can a people be very lawless where the Sabbath is honored ? 
On the other hand, is there aught lovely and of good report 
where this day is despised ? Children need such a check as 
the Sabbath brings to their playfulness. Vigor of body and 
of mind is requisite, if we would be efficient members of 
society. It is an observation of Dr. Rush, that, " if there were 
no hereafter, individuals and societies would be great gainers 
by attending public worship. Rest from labor, in the house 
of God, winds up the machine of the soul and the body, better 
than any thing else, and there invigorates it for the labors and 
duties of the ensuing week." 

Cleanliness is essential to the well-being of society. A filthy 
community must be odious in the sight of Heaven. But what 
means besides does so much as the Sabbath to purify the vil- 
lages and towns of our land ? Public worship demands that 
the pollution of the week be thrown off. 

There can be no good society where the morals of the 
people are corrupt ; yet, if holy time be not observed, the 
population of a place will descend to the lowest depths of 
degradation, while it is clear, beyond a doubt, that a proper 
observance of the Sabbath will reform a community that has 
been noted for its irregularities, and will create an orderly and 
interesting state of things, where previously there was naught 
but odiousness. It has been eloquently asserted that no vil- 
lain, that no vicious family, that no worthless and immoral 



! 



THE SABBATH. 253 

community, regards the Sabbath ; that this day is a barrier, 
which must be broken down before men can become giants in 
iniquity. But " those who pollute holy time will keep nothing 
pure." 

Examine the condition of prisons, and see who people their 
dark cells. Do not a majority of the inmates confess that they 
have trampled on the Lord's day ? Gurney, a careful observer 
of men, affirms, that Sabbath-breaking is the Jlrst step to every 
species of crime. Blackstone said, that " a corruption of morals 
usually follows a profanation of the Sabbath." At one time, 
it was found that ninety criminals out of a hundred, in the 
State's prison of Connecticut, had been abusers of holy time. 
One hundred and eighty-two out of two hundred and fifty-six 
of those in the prison of Massachusetts, were of the same 
stamp, nor do facts from other places exhibit a more favorable 
view. An English gentleman, who had been a prison officer, 
and who had become acquainted with at least one hundred 
thousand prisoners, states, that he made it a point of seeing, 
in private, those who were charged with capital offences, and 
he does not recollect a single case among them all, where the 
person had not been a Sabbath-breaker. In reference to? 
prisoners of all classes, he says, that nineteen of them out of 
twenty have neglected the Lord's day. A person, who had 
been ten years the keeper of Newgate and six years marshal 
of the city of London, gave it as his opinion, that nine tenths 
of all crimes, with which he had become acquainted, were con- 
nected with Sabbath-breaking. Lord Chief Justice Hale once 
remarked, " that of the persons who were convicted of capital 
crimes, while he was upon the bench, he found a few only, 
who would not confess, on inquiry, that they began their career 
of wickedness, by a neglect of the duties of the Sabbath and 
by vicious conduct on that day." 

Every where, the profaners of holy time are in the broad 
way to ruin; they are encompassed with ignorance and degra- 
22 



254 zion's pathway. 

dation ; crimes and misery are their companions. Their 
course is to perdition, and hell will soon be their home, if they 
persevere. All who hate the Sabbath are slaves of Satan, and 
with him curse society in their daily career. Who can num- 
ber the hosts of evils brought on communities by disobedience 
to the fourth commandment ? Surely, it would be in vain for 
me to attempt a specification ? 

4. The Sabbath was made for man as an accountable being. 
Our Creator will at length summon us to his bar. His service 
is our constant duty, and to do his pleasure is the only end 
worthy of existence. Better would it have been for us never 
to have had a being, than that we should pass our probation 
in rebellion against him. Yet, if Jehovah is to be worshipped, 
there must be set seasons for prayer, praise and the receiving 
of divine instruction. Even pagans are aware that their re- 
ligion cannot be maintained without having sacred days. " It 
belongs to our very relation to God to set apart a portion of 
our time for his service." We wonder not that infidels are 
seeking to annihilate the Sabbath, for with its existence is 
identified the very being of Christianity. Where this day is 
kept, there, and not elsewhere, is the knowledge of the true 
God. u Blot out the Sabbath, and you blot out the last beam 
of hope from the troubled and desponding heart. Blot out the 
Sabbath, and in one mighty crowd of pilgrims this world's pop- 
ulation would march quietly on to the gulf of remediless 
ruin." 

But the full value of holy days cannot be seen till the gen- 
eral judgment shall reveal their fruits. The Sabbath is a type 
of heaven, and those who delight in it spiritually shall inherit 
life everlasting. " In short, we are going to spend a Sabbath 
in eternity. The Christian will acquire as much of the Sab- 
bath spirit as he can." No one who loves hours hallowed by 
God, because of their sacredness, and keeps them as required, 
can be otherwise than in friendship with Christ ; while the 



THE SABBATH. 255 

enemies of such hours are at war with all righteousness ; they 
are children of the wicked one. 



Who break the Sabbath ? 

If a due observance of holy time be essential to the welfare 
of man, viewed in his different relations, then it becomes an 
important inquiry, what constitutes such regard ? or who fail 
to conform to the divine will in respect to sacred days ? We 
have only to take the fourth command, and test every 
practice by it. Obvious is its import. Those break the Sab- 
bath, who perform during its hours secular business, for they 
do not hallow it. Ordinary occupations are not holy. " Six 
days shalt thou labor and do all thy work ; but the seventh 
day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God ; in it thou shalt not 
do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man- 
servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger 
that is within thy gates." No language could more clearly 
denote a distinction between the duties assigned to the Sab- 
bath, and those belonging to the other days in the week. To 
repeat a sentiment previously enforced, it is useless to reply 
that what, in this respect, the Lord required of Israel, is not 
binding on us, for the table of ten commands is, from the 
nature of the case, obligatory on all ; they are moral require- 
ments and prohibitions, which cannot be annulled. We may, 
with as much reason, deny that the God of the Hebrews is 
the living God, at this age, as that the decalogue is not now 
the rule of moral conduct. None of that business which be- 
longs to the six secular days, is lawful on the Sabbath. Acts 
of necessary mercy are allowable, when common ones would 
be sinful. The sudden conflagration must be arrested and ex- 
tinguished ; beasts are to be watered and fed ; the sick must 
be attended ; yet it is obvious that a physician ought not to be 
called on that day, if the case be not urgent, and that none 



256 zion's pathway. 

should be detained from public worship, who would not be 
kept from their business by the same sickness on a week-day. 
Whenever distressing illness overtakes us, we are obliged to 
yield to its imperious demands ; but it argues no good for one, 
when he makes his arrangements beforehand, to be an invalid 
on the Sabbath. Are there not many of this description ? 
Do not hundreds call in the medical practitioner on the Lord's 
day, who would not send for him, were it another part of the 
week ? Am I not alluding to what the reader knows to be a 
common characteristic in many families ? 

Funerals sometimes unavoidably occur on the Sabbath, and 
in such cases they are not the work of the week ; but when a 
plan is industriously laid, either by deferring unreasonably 
the interment of the dead, or by hastening it improperly, for 
the purpose of bringing the burial within sacred hours to save 
secular time, God is dishonored. Much connected with these 
solemn scenes, is unsuited to sanctified seasons. I do not 
affirm, that, in no case, must a grave be prepared, or a coffin 
made on the Sabbath, yet, I believe, that instances are rare, 
in which there is any necessity for such labor. 

Something manifestly must be done respecting food, on the 
Lord's day ; still a moment's reflection will convince any one, 
that the amount of labor thus required, is comparatively small. 
He that wishes to feast on things divine, will not be desirous 
to overload his physical system. A surfeited body will not 
admit of great spirituality of mind. "Whoever indulges exces- 
sively his appetite on the Sabbath, will surely be dull. A too 
hearty breakfast has unfitted many an individual for enjoy- 
ment in the services of the sanctuary. And not a few, who 
feel pretty well in the forenoon, find themselves incapacitated 
after dinner, for worship. Think you, that God connives 
at fleshly indulgence on his day ? Why did he make the 
Sabbath as long as other days, if but half of it is to be spent in 
sacred duties ? And why does not the sun go down at noon 



THE SABBATH. 257 

on this holy day, if every afternoon of it may be spent in slum- 
ber ? Ah, all this slavery to the appetite, and this surrender 
of mind and body to drowsiness and dreams, are Sabbath 
breaking. 

The repairing of machinery, the running of mills, the culti- 
vating of the fields, the securing of harvests, and the keeping 
of accounts, are all forbidden by the law of God, and whoever 
engages in any of these, is as surely a transgressor of a divine 
regulation, as is the worshipper of an idol, or the robber, or the 
murderer ; conduct must be all brought to the moral law, and 
whatever transgresses it, is rebellion against God. 

Because Saturday is unpleasant, and the Sabbath is fair, 
affords no reason why the latter should be taken for the labor 
which had been planned for the former. When Jehovah wrote 
with his own finger the fourth commandment, he knew the 
exact number of cloudy Saturdays, which would be followed 
by bright Sabbaths ; and he also foresaw just how many loads 
of hay and of grain would be out, and, to human view, in dan- 
ger of spoiling, while the sun of holy time should be cheering 
sacred hours ; he was likewise well aware how strong the 
temptation would be for worldly men to gather in their ex- 
posed harvest on the Sabbath, yet he commands them not to 
perform secular service on his day. The fact that he caused 
it to rain on Saturday, is a sufficient reason why the exposed 
hay or grain should not be sheltered till after the Sabbath. 
Doubtless he sometimes intends to destroy crops, after they 
have been ripened. Allowing that the products of the earth 
will be ruined by being exposed, why has not the Almighty 
the same right to disappoint the husbandman in this way, as 
to do what he often has done, viz., cut off fields of promise by 
hail storms ? Appeals are sometimes made to our Saviour in 
vindication of what I deem Sabbath-breaking ; but careful 
attention to his course, discovers the fact, that in no case did 
22* 






258 zion's pathway. 

he say or do any thing fitted to encourage aught of which the 
most strict observer of this day would complain. 

He performed none but acts of mercy. " It was to relieve 
the ox or the sheep from present suffering, that he might be 
pulled out of a pit, or led away to watering. It was to deliver 
men from present distress, that Christ healed them on the 
Sabbath. It was because the disciples were then hungry, that 
he excused them for plucking and rubbing a few ears of grain 
as they passed through a field on their way (it would seem) 
to public worship." To imitate Jesus in relieving distress is 
a duty, even on the Sabbath ; but is there not an obvious dis- 
tinction between the performance of such an act, and one 
which does not impart immediate assistance? Is it asked 
what will the poor man do for support, whose harvest is in 
danger of utter ruin by exposure through the Sabbath ? We 
reply in the words of Scripture, " Trust in the Lord and do 
good ; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be 
fed." Ps. 37 : 3. Whoever makes the law of God his rule 
of action, is in no danger of perishing for the lack of food. 
To offer the plea, that work must be performed on the Sab- 
bath to prevent a future want, is accusing the Most High of 
insincerity, and tempting him to deliver the guilty over to all 
the horrors of actual starvation. A certain man who had spent 
the Sabbath in securing his grain, said, " he had fairly cheated 
the Almighty out of one day." He even proclaimed his deed as 
one that should obtain for him the title of a hero. But how must 
he have felt on the Tuesday following, when the lightnings 
converted into ashes his gathered harvest, and also the barn 
which contained it ? If we do right, consequences may be 
left entirely with God ; but if wrong action characterize us, 
there will be an after part, which cannot safely be disregarded. 
The Being whom we have offended will hold us responsible. 

Another class desecrate the Lord's day, by devoting it in 
part or wholly to sinful amusements and pleasures ; they do 



THE SABBATH. 259 

not keep it holy. To make and receive social visits on this 
day, is not observing it as the Most High requires. Nor does 
the sin of this conduct depend on the distance passed over in 
making them. Our home is our lawful abode on the Sabbath, 
during the time that we are not at public worship, or in the 
Sabbath school. Who can point out the least shadow of holi- 
ness in making or receiving a social visit on the Sabbath ? 
We should neither go to see others, nor must they be allowed 
to come and see us, if it be in our power to prevent. We 
have a right to enjoy a quiet sacred day, and no person is 
authorized for sinful ends to disturb us. If our kindred are 
not aware of the impropriety of hindering our devout observ- 
ance of the Lord's day, then it is our duty politely to inform 
them. Kindness also requires it of us. In no case is going 
on social visits, or returning from them during the Sabbath, 
remembering it as the law demands. All riding for pleasure 
is open rebellion against God, and merits his immediate judg- 
ments. We can frame but one excuse for either of these 
practices just noticed, and that is the ignorance of the guilty. 
I suppose in some places there is an amazing lack of informa- 
tion, touching the importance of duly keeping the Sabbath. 
A conviction that entire darkness prevails on this subject, is a 
great relief to my mind. Supposing persons to be well in- 
formed, then, if they ride for pleasure on the Sabbath, they 
are as certainly violators of God's law as are murderers. And 
I am not prepared to say, which class of these transgressors is 
the most odious in the sight of Infinite purity. We have no 
right to employ on the Sabbath, for pleasure, or for gain, any 
creature of God, for he expressly declares that it shall not be 
thus used. Therefore, to remove one from a pasture, or a 
stall, is a sin, for which the guilty individual is responsible to 
the Maker of animals. 

I need not specify all the ways in which pleasure is sought, 
in violation of the decalogue, on the Sabbath. Our ears are 



260 zion's pathway. 

often pained in holy time by the reports from the huntsman's 
gun, and by the howlings of his dog. Frequently has the 
writer seen the fisherman with his hook and line, going forth 
amid sacred hours. Companies of ball players are engaged in 
many a retreat, and also in open fields, beneath the sun of the 
Lord's day. Games of chance are carried on to a frightful 
extent, publicly and privately every Sabbath. 

A large class trample on the fourth command, by devoting 
the Sabbath to various kinds of secular reading. Sometimes 
the aim is mere pleasure ; at others, it is to acquire useful in- 
formation ; none who thus spend the day, keep it holy. All 
of them are perfectly aware, that they cherish no respect for 
its sanctity. The Bible and religious works are the only 
proper books for the Lord's day, and every person who means 
to obey the divine mandate, will be careful about letting his 
eyes fall upon volumes and periodicals not religious. Many 
people set apart the Sabbath for writing letters of business, or 
of friendship. They practise things forbidden, for they do not 
remember the day to keep it holy. Selfishness has the entire 
control of their efforts. Even religious letters wear a better 
heading when dated otherwise than on the Sabbath. 

An Inference. 

A system of religious faith, which entirely sets aside the 
Sabbath, is no better than absolute infidelity. To say that all 
days are alike, is to affirm for truth what the Almighty de- 
clares false. Whoever asserts that he esteems every day holy, 
must be regarded in the same light with him that owns he 
deems no day holy. If it cannot be safely said, that there is 
as much piety as there is external respect for the Lord's day, 
unquestionably the latter keeps pace with the former. Blot 
out the Sabbath, and true religion will become extinct on 
earth. 



THE SABBATH. 261 

Infidels understand this matter, and their deadliest enmity 
developes itself in efforts against this sacred day. The influ- 
ence of all, who set at naught or trifle with holy time, is on the 
side of the vilest opposers of truth. What claim has he, who 
denies the obligation of the Lord's day, to the reputation of 
being a Christian? "In proportion to a man's real piety in 
every age of the Church, he will be found to have been a dili- 
gent observer of the Sabbath." * 

Reader, art thou a breaker of the fourth command ? If so, 
thy steps are toward ruin. Sins, committed on the Lord's 
day, carry the guilty, by rapid strides, toward perdition. Be- 
hold, how near thou hast already come. An old writer calls 
holy days the pillars, " on which heaven's palace arched lies." 
Thou hast laid violent hands on those sacred supports, and 
were thy strength sufficient, thou wouldst do with the throne 
of God, what Samson did to the house in which thousands of 
the Philistines were assembled. 

All persons violate the spirit of the Sabbath, who do not 
spend the entire day in the service of God, attending on his 
worship, if his providence permit, both public and private, for 
he requires that his hours should be passed in such a manner. 
Holiness consists in loving and serving the one Jehovah. 
True, those who remain quietly at home, exert a less exten- 
sive influence for evil, than they would, if they were running 
or riding, fishing or hunting ; still they break the day of the 
Lord. " Ye shall keep my Sabbaths, and reverence my sanc- 
tuary ; I am the Lord." Lev. 19 : 30. Going to meeting oc- 
casionally, just to avoid reproach, will not meet the divine 
enactment. His house should be loved by us, and we must 
resort unto it habitually, when it is within our ability to 
enter it. 



* Cecil. 



262 zion's pathway. 



But one Sabbath in a Week. 



It has seemed to the writer, that in exhibiting proof for the 
divine origin and perpetuity of the Sabbath, sufficient impor- 
tance has not been given to the fact, that there are and can be 
only just so many Sabbaths in a year as there are weeks. 
God has ordained the keeping of one day in seven as holy, 
and he has not ordained the keeping of more than one day 
in seven as holy. His will on this point is made known in the 
Scriptures — that guide of the world. He did direct the 
Israelites to observe certain festival seasons yearly, and doubt- 
less he now, by implication, requires his people to set apart 
days for special thanksgiving, and also days for special humi- 
liation. But no day except the Sabbath is holy. Now one 
sect says every day is holy. By this they mean, as their prac- 
tice shows, no day is holy.] Other sects, not going quite so 
far, have yet multiplied their holy days. What right have 
they to mock God's Sabbath, by setting up their own ? We 
are bound to obey the command of Jehovah touching his Sab- 
bath ; and are we not bound to disobey men's mandates res- 
pecting their holy days ? Infinite Wisdom has set apart but 
one day in seven ; the wisdom which appoints more, " descend- 
eth not from above." The adversary has as much displayed 
his hatred of sanctified time by causing men to multiply holy 
days, as in his attempts to annihilate the Sabbath. 

Here it is proper to notice a sad mistake into which some 
Christians have fallen. I refer to the calling of the Sabbath 
Sunday. No friend of holy time should allow himself to de- 
signate it thus. The secular days of the week God has not 
named, hence, when speaking of them, we may, if necessary, 
employ heathen terms ; but his own day, Jehovah has honored 
with one title, meriting universal and exclusive adoption, un- 
less the Scriptures authorize another. Lord's day was em- 



THE SABBATH. 263 

ployed, in the primitive Church, to denote the Sabbath as 
changed from the seventh to the first day, and doubtless we 
may so call it ; still the original name is that which most natu- 
rally suggests the end for which a portion of time was set 
apart as holy. 

HYMN. 

Holy Sabbath ; day of rest, 
God Almighty thee hath blest; 
He to man, in Eden's bow'rs, 
First proclaimed thy sacred hours. 

Holy Sabbath ; all divine, 
Jesus tells me thou art mine; 
Sinai's law must ever stand, — 
Binding is the fourth command. 

Holy Sabbath ; without thee, 
Man is never, never free ; 
All are slaves to Satan bound, 
Where is heard no Sabbath sound. 

Holy Sabbath ; type of Heaven, 
Dearest day of all the seven ; 
I will love thee more and more, 
Till I reach the blissful shore. 



THE SANCTUARY. 

People destitute of a sanctuary, are deprived of a bles- 
sing, than which none is greater. They have no strong barrier 
to vice ; nothing that will cause iniquity to disappear ; nothing 
to pour the light of eternal truth upon the darkness of error. 
Wickedness fears not the halls of science ; it never retreats 
through dread of classic lore. Polished society may cherish 
within its bosom the most loathsome vice. The other idols in 
a man's heart are dethroned by wealth, only when it seeks to 
occupy as a god the place of the ejected. A standing army 
may keep back an approaching foe, but at the same time it 






264 zion's pathway. 

will be a fruitful source of immorality. The idea that any 
mere human agencies can be a safeguard to a people, has often 
been proved false. Jehovah has ordained that his temple shall 
be their bulwark. 

It is a beautiful thought which we find expressed in the 
forty-eighth Psalm, that invading kings were repulsed by the 
sight of the temple at Jerusalem. " They saw it, and so they 
marvelled, they were troubled and hasted away." Whether 
this language be regarded as a historical fact or as a poetic 
embellishment, it is worthy of candid consideration. There 
is reason to believe that a full exhibition of the truth respect- 
ing the means by which the liberties that we as a nation now 
possess, were secured, would show us more indebted to our 
sanctuaries than to any other instrumentality. It was from 
them that prayers most fervent ascended to the God of the 
oppressed for his timely aid. Whether or not the blessings of 
freedom and good government shall be continued to the gener- 
ations hereafter to arise in this country, will depend mainly on 
the temples of the Lord. If he is known in them for a refuge, 
our nation is safe. Politicians are ever ready to sell their 
country's birthright for the sake of a party triumph. A few 
among them are truly patriotic, but alas what are the many ? 

We must look to the sanctuary for a regulator of the fac- 
tions which arise under the flag of reform. An influence goes 
out from it, laying hold with a restraining hand upon those 
who would uproot every good institution in the removal of a 
single evil. Such madmen can be checked by those correct 
moral teachings which characterize the house of God, if their 
zeal be not of too furious a nature to admit of any restraint. 
If it allow no such control, then, being permitted to run 
with its own speed, it will soon be self-destroyed, or have gone 
so far as to be out of the way. 

Intimately connected with the house of the Lord are all the 
blessings of civilization. Remove the tabernacles of the Most 



THE SANCTUARY. 265 

High, and savage feet will soon tread the soil on which these 
holy edifices have been reared, and the Indian's war-song be 
substituted for the lessons in the Sabbath school. The sanc- 
tuary brings peace to the troubled sinner, saying, " Be of good 
cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee." It is an earthly abode of 
our God. While the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him, 
he deigns to dwell in the house dedicated to his praise. That 
salvation should flow to men through sanctuaries, is a part 
of the economy of grace. He that refuses the light coming 
from them, walks in darkness and stumbles to rise no more. 
"We must worship in the temples made with hands, in order to 
enter that constructed without hands. Preludes of the songs 
sung in the latter, are learned and practised in the former. 
They who have no delight in public worship, are not prepar- 
ing to join the great assembly above the skies. 

Ye holy courts, how precious are the associations connected 
with you ! Safe is the retreat which ye afford ; peaceful are 
the hours passed in your solemn inclosure. Other places of 
frequent resort are filled with the world, but the Lord fills the 
sanctuary. In them are heard, perhaps, the profane oath and 
the angry words of the contentious ; here silence is broken 
only by the words of worshippers, whose praises and prayers 
ascend to God. 

In the erection of buildings for public worship, there is one 
general rule which seems to me ought not to be overlooked. 
I shall express it thus : Give God the best. Let his temple be 
an ornament to the place in which it stands. What can more 
clearly indicate a semi-barbarous state in a community, than a 
shattered meeting-house ? No people is so poor, as not to be 
able to keep out the wind and water from the abode of the 
Most High. There is, at present, in some places, an extrav- 
agant outlay in preparing sanctuaries. It seems to be thought 
that money thus profusely expended will secure Heaven's bene- 
diction on the worshippers, even if mere formality is all they 
23 



266 zion's pathway. 

can offer in them. Shut not your doors, ye wealthy pew hold- 
ers, against the poverty-stricken. " The rich and the poor 
meet together ; the Lord is the Maker of them all." Happy 
are they who hear the words of Christ and conform to them. 
& God is a spirit, and they that worship him must worship him 
in spirit and in truth." To serve Jehovah we certainly need 
commodious sanctuaries ; but more, sincere hearts. Frequently 
incurable distractions among the members of religious societies 
are occasioned in locating houses of worship. Great numbers, 
who had been regular attendants at the courts of the Lord 
previously to the agitation of this subject, have been offended 
by it and no more appear in them. Can they enter heaven ? 
Will not their stubbornness send them to hell ? "We are far 
from supposing that no mistakes are committed by those who 
carry their own point in regard to locality. Men are every 
where sinners. A spirit of concession should be cultivated 
by all the members of a parish. What constitutes a good site 
for a sanctuary ? Must a spot be chosen simply because it is 
central? Unhesitatingly we answer in the negative. The 
house of God should, if possible, be easy of access to the 
largest number. It should also be as pleasantly located as 
the nature of the region will admit. Regard ought uniformly 
to be had, in deciding on a place, to the welfare of those who 
may succeed the present inhabitants. A general good is ever 
to be preferred before an individual. 

Order of Public Worship. 

Those who worship without prescribed formularies, need not 
fear to vary, when necessary, a long established order in divine 
service. While we do not hesitate to pronounce the style of 
church building, handed down to us from our Puritan fath- 
ers, as unsuitable to the age in which we live, it ought not to 
be regarded as a love of innovation, if one suggest that possi- 



THE SANCTUARY. 267 

bly some improvement might be made in the common routine 
of exercises at public worship on the Sabbath. Were our 
revered ancestors now to visit the earth, perhaps they would 
point out desirable changes. There are, however, only slight 
changes required. If my suggestion be worthy of regard, I 
would arrange for the reading of the Scriptures in the morn- 
ing immediately after the first singing, rather than before it, 
and I would have them read, also, in the afternoon, just sub- 
sequently to the introductory hymn. It seems to me that 
there are decided advantages in both these innovations, if they 
should be so termed. The house has become still by the 
arrival of the time thus allotted for the reading of a portion 
of Scripture. Not long since, I spent a Sabbath, where the 
ordinary method is pursued, and there was a perpetual coming 
in, until the reading was nearly completed. I was once in a 
parish where many of the people were accustomed to stand 
about the door of the meeting-house, till the officiating clergy- 
man had closed the Bible and opened the hymn book. If we 
cannot have stillness in every exercise, let us have it when 
Jehovah speaks. Some congregations are in the habit of 
standing during the first singing, both in the morning and in 
the afternoon. If the Scriptures are read according to the 
improved order, the congregation, sitting while they are read, 
is prepared, at the close of the reading, to rise up before the 
Lord, and join in the petitions, thanksgivings and confession 
for sin, which constitute the prayer. 

What part of public worship is more important than the 
reading of appropriate selections from the Word of God? 
The addition of this exercise to the common order of the af- 
ternoon, has, I believe, greatly interested the pastors and the 
congregations in those places in which it has been introduced. 

Would it not be an improvement, if the prayers in the sanc- 
tuary were all more nearly of a length than they usually are, 
and all so short and comprehensive as not necessarily to weary 



268 zion's pathway. 

those who devoutly engage in them? It is a fact, that many 
pastors are exceedingly tedious in conducting this part of wor- 
ship. Complaints are made, even by those who are glad when 
it is said, " Let us go into the house of the Lord." Some that 
would be the last to find fault unreasonably, do express the 
wish, that certain ministers whom they hear, might be less 
wearisome in this respect. The practice of sitting during pub- 
lic prayer is becoming quite too prevalent, and yet how can 
the evil be remedied, so long as occasion is thus given for it? 
As the lovers of a pure and simple form of worship, it be- 
comes us to see that all things are performed in a manner, not 
only decent, but to edification. May the day never come when 
our prayers shall be printed, yet let us not be afraid to seek 
higher and higher degrees of excellence in the precious ser- 
vices of the sanctuary. If, in any particulars, our order of wor- 
ship need emendation, let us not be afraid to effect a change. 



Posture in Prayer. 

Under the preceding head, an allusion was made to this 
topic. It is not proposed to discuss it here, but merely to 
state a few facts. The more ecclesiastical bodies discuss the 
subject, the less agreement appears in regard to it. 

Whence originated the practice of sitting during prayer ? 
Is it from heaven ? We think not, for the only book on earth, 
which reveals to man the divine will in respect to it, affords it, 
we firmly believe, no countenance. On this point, we presume 
the readers of the Bible are nearly if not quite agreed. Did 
the Puritan fathers sit while public and social prayers were 
offered ? Who believes that they did ? They reverenced the 
Divine Being. Bute's practice is not indicative of reverence. 
On the contrary, it betokens great lawlessness and want of ap- 
propriate feelings towards Jehovah. 



THE SANCTUARY. 269 

Whence then the custom ? I will state its origin in some 
places. In a certain neighborhood, where the "standing 
order " were the first settlers and the chief occupants of the 
soil, there appeared, about thirty years since, preachers of a 
disorganizing stamp, and commenced their " labors of love," 
as their efforts were termed. They were very zealous, and 
brought their burning zeal to bear against the almost universal 
custom of standing in prayer. Doubts were expressed by 
them, whether the venerable old minister of the town had ever 
offered an acceptable public address to God, because he did 
not kneel. Now this assault did not move the real Puritans, 
but a class, such as exist in almost every community, gave 
credence to the sentiment, and ceased rising up before the 
Lord. But as kneeling is not always convenient, the sitting 
posture soon became quite common among this sect of new 
religionists ; and now such is the posture which they assume, 
or rather maintain, extensively in their sanctuaries, as far as 
my acquaintance with their practice extends. It is a well 
known fact, that we have very foolishly adopted some of the 
customs which belong to other orders of worshippers. 

But we are indebted, chiefly, for our departure from Puritan 
practice in this respect, to another source. Some years since, 
a great light arose in a part of the country then termed the 
West, and threw its radiance eastward, down even to the 
shores of the Atlantic. Indeed, the luminous body itself, like 
the star which gladdened the hearts of the shepherds of Beth- 
lehem, was movable. It took a direction towards the sun's 
rising, and soon filled the land of the Puritans with wondrous 
brightness. Such was the effect on the minds of many, that 
an application of what a sacred writer says, seemed, in their 
view, appropriate to the very birthplace of the purest saints. 
" The people which sat in darkness saw great light, and to 
them which sat in the region and shadow of death, light is 
sprung up." Suffice it to say, that a new era commenced in 
23* 



270 zion's pathway. 

religious affairs, and produced wide-spread changes. Measures 
unheard of before, became exceedingly popular. Old customs 
were decried, and nothing deserved religious esteem, which 
had been handed down from our pious forefathers. The cate- 
chism was trampled in the dust; Bible doctrines were rejected 
or strangely explained ; men, women, and children, closely 
crowded together, were exhorted to cry aloud and spare not. 
I have seen them in the same assembly, without rising or 
kneeling, one after another, offering their petitions to God. 
Such were the circumstances in which the unhallowed prac- 
tice, under consideration, chiefly originated among the people 
of my early acquaintance. I am sorry to say, that they have 
never recovered from the abyss into which they plunged in 
those days of excitement and confusion, when Zion's beauty 
became deformed. 

HEARING THE GOSPEL. 

Hear attentively. 

A marked difference is every where observable in the effects 
produced by the gospel upon individuals. " To the one, we 
are the savor of death unto death, and to the other, the savor 
of life unto life." Far be it from us, to affirm that human 
agency alone is to be taken into the account, when we seek for 
a solution of the fact that the same discourse is followed by 
consequences entirely unlike. Still much depends upon the 
manner of listening to truth. " Take heed therefore how ye 
hear." 

Of what avail is it, if the word be spoken forcibly and tender- 
ly, if the auditory be listless ? In vain are reasonings the most 
cogent, and appeals the most persuasive, if no mind be awake 
to attend to them. Neither the terrors of Jehovah, nor the 
subduing theme of the Saviour's death, affect favorably those 
who heed nothing coming from the preacher's lips. He must 



THE SANCTUARY. 271 

have the attention, in order that he inform the understanding, 
and move the passions. The hearer should listen to the whole 
discourse, for if it be well put together, the several parts can- 
not be separated without destroying the unity. Whatever be 
the preacher's skill in sermonizing, it is to be presumed, that 
all he advances is important truth ; therefore, it is " profitable 
for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in 
righteousness." Serious fixedness of the mind is essential, if 
one would hear to any purpose. Of what benefit are mere 
sounds falling on an external organ ? They make no perma- 
nent impression, if the soul be not a listener. That curious 
instrument the ear, is only a medium of hearing ; itself does 
not hear. We know that a person may be so absorbed in 
meditations, as not to regard what is said within hearing, on 
the most important subjects. We can sit for hours in a room, 
where a loud striking clock faithfully tells the gliding twenty- 
fourths of the day, without perceiving one of its strokes. We 
must admit that every sound of its little hammer falls on our 
ears, but the mind being intent on something else, does not 
heed its tones. Those familiar with the almost deafening noise 
of machinery, become accustomed to it, and are unaffected by 
it. One may even live amid the roar of Niagara, and not 
realize its presence. 

We see, then, considering the subject in a philosophical 
light, that attention must be given to what is spoken, in order 
that it be heard with profit. Thoughts can be in one place, and 
the person in another. " Take heed, therefore, how ye hear ; " 
cause the mind to listen ; do not allow it to escape from the 
sacred place while holy exercises are progressing. Concen- 
trate on the truth there presented the best energies of the soul. 
" We should covet earnestly to know the true intent, and full 
extent of the word we hear, that we may be neither mistaken 
nor defective in our knowledge." Surely the end, in this case, 
justifies the means. 



272 zion's pathway. 

No preacher of the gospel is able to interest those who will 
not take some pains to receive information. Angelic eloquence 
would not suffice to render such a class wakeful. The hearer 
must be anxious to receive instruction, or it will not be in 
human power to do him much good. No preacher supposes 
that he shall greatly attract those who do not interest them- 
selves, and yet he may without arrogance think, that all, whose 
attention is duly given to him, will be enlightened and richly 
rewarded for their zeal in seeking illumination in the house of 
God. Something worthy of regard, relating directly or indi- 
rectly to man's welfare in time and eternity, is uniformly 
presented on the Sabbath in the temples of Jehovah. If 
nothing more deserve careful consideration, the exact words 
of Scripture, interspersed in every discourse, merit profound 
consideration. To yield a strict attention to truth is the duty 
of each attendant on divine worship. Christ's ambassadors 
ought not to be taxed with the drudgery of keeping open men's 
eyes, and of calling back their fugitive thoughts. Efforts 
should be made by every one in the congregation, to create a 
more lively feeling in the speaker, which may be easily done 
by looking at him. 

Ministers of the gospel are not unfrequently accused of con- 
tradicting themselves. Now, as they are fallible, it is not im- 
possible for them to commit such mistakes ; generally, however, 
the charge proceeds from such a source, that it is not entitled 
to credit. He, that catches only here and there a sentence, is 
not qualified to judge of the merit or demerit of a sermon 
occupying thirty minutes in the delivery. Be sure, ye captious 
ones, that ye hear the whole, before ye venture to criticise 
even a part, and do not boldly assert there have been 
numerous contradictions, while it is evident you slept four 
fifths of the time. Dull hearers are not good judges of 
preaching. 



THE SANCTUARY. 273 



Hear without Prejudice. 

We are creatures of impulse, and more inclined to be influ- 
enced by it than by fixed principle ; to be swayed by passion, 
rather than by understanding. Very common is it for con- 
demnation to be pronounced upon a minister of Jesus, when 
no good reason can be assigned for even a surmise against him. 
Christ said unqualifiedly to his seventy disciples when he sent 
them out to teach and to preach, " He that heareth you, hear- 
eth me ; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me ; and he 
that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me." Luke 10 : 16. 
Terrible is thy doom, thou contemner of truth ! " Whoso 
despiseth the Word shall be destroyed." They cannot escape 
divine wrath who refuse to hear the messages of God, because 
delivered by individuals with whom themselves are not 
pleased. Jehovah's communications must be regarded, who- 
ever is the bearer. 

Prejudice not only shuts up the mind of him indulging it 
against particular persons ; it has the same influence touching 
certain doctrines. Instead of meekly inquiring what is truth, 
those under such an influence determine beforehand not to 
regard some doctrines as true. Should a preacher announce 
one of them as the subject of a discourse, the sound thereof 
might operate as an expeller of a portion of his audience ; and 
should a voice from heaven fall upon the ears of those escap- 
ing, saying, the doctrine, from which you are endeavoring to 
flee is divine, and will meet you at the judgment, their course 
would not be reversed, nor their speed abated. Prejudice 
sends them forth, and will not permit them to return. This 
baneful moral malady debarred many from hearing words 
when spoken by the sinless lips of Jesus. Persons swayed by 
prejudice are characterized by bitterness and bigotry. They 
lack all nobleness, and are easily made the dupes of errors ; 



274 zion's pathway. 

becoming subjects of the grossest superstitions, they doom to 
perdition all not equally involved in darkness. 



M love-destroying, cursed bigotry ! 
Cursed in heaven, but cursed more in hell, 
Where millions curse thee, and must ever curse ; 
Religion's most abhorred ; perdition's most forlorn 
God's most abandoned ; hell's most damned ! " 



An individual under the influence of prejudice seizes upon 
circumstances of a trivial nature, and magnifies them into those 
of the highest moment. Such an one, forgetting the beam in 
his own eye, is enraged at the mote in the eye of another. 
Casting his own great sins behind his back, the little faults of 
others he multiplies, and magnifies to the utmost extent of his 
ill will. Divest yourselves of prejudice, all ye who would 
secure divine favor, and be profited by hearing the word of 
the Lord. You are not required to receive aught as truth 
without careful examination. " Prove all things ; hold fast 
that which is good." Listen to every portion of a discourse ; 
detect all the false premises and illogical conclusions ; expose 
the sophisms, and point out the real contradictions, but do it 
with pure motives. No servant of Christ will be offended at 
kind corrections. 



Hear to receive the greatest Profit. 

The grand design of the gospel is to make men wise unto 
salvation, and every one, at all considerate, will desire to gain 
the wisdom which it aims to impart. All the scriptural truth, 
delivered in the sanctuaries of God, is of everlasting impor- 
tance. It is the good seed, which, when falling into suitable 
soil, bears fruit unto life eternal. By the word of the Lord we 
must be enlightened, or we remain in darkness. Despatches 



THE SANCTUARY. 275 

which descend from the court above, are essential to man's 
well-being on earth, and in the future state. 

A cavilling spirit does not become a poor mortal, while con- 
templating the communications made to him by the Lord. It 
should be enough for us to know, that what we are hearing 
was uttered by the Holy One for our good, and that immediate 
obedience to all commands is required by him. Famishing 
persons ought thankfully to accept of food provided, without 
waiting to ascertain whence it came ; nor should they hesitate 
to receive it, because they cannot tell precisely how it imparts 
nourishment after it is taken into the system. So ought crea- 
tures cursed by iniquity to seize eagerly for their good the 
bread of heaven. A sick man were foolish indeed, to decline 
receiving proper remedies, because the science and practice of 
medicine are beyond his comprehension. Common sense bids 
him without delay accept proffered aid. 

Sinners are fearfully diseased, and relief comes only through 
the gospel. Christ is the only Saviour, and without his saving 
help, they must perish. A present opportunity is all of which 
we have any promise. If it be unimproved, and none other 
be granted, then is heaven eternally lost. Who should not 
feel that now the pearl of priceless value may be secured, and 
yet that it may be suffered to pass forever from his reach ? 
" Take heed, therefore, how ye hear." Do not listen for 
others, but for yourselves. Make no special appropriations 
of a sermon to your neighbors ; take it home, for it belongs to 
you. The Lord has directed his ambassador to make procla- 
mations to you, and fail not to hear now what the Almighty 
saith. Has reconciliation been already effected between you 
and the Sovereign of the universe, then there are comforting 
communications for you. If transgression still holds you, 
hasten to secure deliverance as he counsels. 






276 zion's pathway. 



Hear with Gratitude. 



It should be regarded, as it actually is, a great privilege to 
be made acquainted with divine truth. God is not benefited 
by the means of grace furnished to man ; his happiness does 
not depend on the preaching of the gospel, nor is it affected by 
our treatment of his mercy. Jehovah will be glorified, what- 
ever be the conduct of creatures toward his compassion. By 
transgression we are destroyed, and our destruction admits of 
no remedy except in the holy and benevolent scheme of the 
triune God. Shall it not be regarded as a privilege to be in- 
formed how we may be saved from hell and elevated to 
heaven ? What but the gospel affords the needful instruc- 
tion ? Who, besides the hearers of the truth, can be made 
free by it ? Verily, were those to whom salvation is preached 
duly aware of the immeasurable mercy proffered to them, they 
would every day utter heartfelt praise to Him who has opened 
before them the ark of safety. They would require no urging 
to present themselves in the temple of the Lord on the Sab- 
bath ; nor would it be necessary to caution them against dul- 
ness ; the soul's deep emotions could not suffer their eyes to 
be closed, nor their ears to be heavy. Surely a wakefulness, 
not to be easily overcome, should always evince a hearty joy 
in being brought so near to heaven as they are to whom the 
gospel is weekly published. 

Hear with the Last Judgment in view. 

Probation's hours, now swiftly gliding, will soon be passed 
away, but the consequences of our sojourn in time can never 
cease to be felt. An account must be rendered to the Judge 
of all the earth for the use made of sacred privileges. In the 
book of God's remembrance are recorded the discourses with 



THE SANCTUARY. 277 

which we are favored, and the manner of our attending to 
them. Each truth heard will be a witness for us or against 
us, in the day when every heart and every life shall be re- 
vealed. 

Our Lord, in his parable* of the sower, beautifully exhibits 
several sorts of hearers. " The seed is the word of God," 
some of which falls by the wayside, and those thus designated, 
" are they that hear ; then cometh the devil and taketh away 
the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be 
saved." A portion of the seed lights upon a rock, by which 
the great Teacher sets forth a class that receive the word with 
joy, but, having no root, exercise only a temporary faith, 
" and in time of temptation fall away." Other seeds lodge 
among thorns, and in this emblem are symbolized those, who, 
"when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares 
and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to per- 
fection." The seed, however, is not all lost, for some of it 
drops into good soil, and bears fruit " an hundred fold." On 
this part of the parable, Christ's own interpretation is strik- 
ingly pertinent to our present theme. " But that on the good 
ground, are they, which, in an honest and good heart, having 
heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience." 
Those thus described are preparing to reap awards of delight 
at the right hand of God. In the day of final recompense^ 
they shall not be ashamed, but their fruits will appear in per- 
fection and richness. " Blessed are they that hear the word 
of God and keep it." While keeping it they are kept by it, 
and, through it, as the instrument, they are made savingly and 
eternally wise. Good ground hearers have an eye constantly on 
the day of accounts, and remember that to whom much is given, 
of them much will be required. They do not selfishly seek a 

* See Luke, Chap. 8, for the ensuing quotations- 

24 



278 zion's pathway. 

reward, yet it is their aim so to improve their talents, that the 
impartial Judge may say to each, "■ well done." 

Let all accustomed to enter the temples of Jehovah, take 
heed how they hear the gospel. Give attention ; banish pre- 
judice ; hear to profit ; be grateful for the privilege ; remem- 
ber the judgment day ; seek help from Him who is infinitely 
able to make the truth more precious to you gold. The Spirit 
that inspired the Scriptures is ready to illumine your minds, 
and to enable you to be like the good ground. 

" Sinners, will you scorn the message, 

Sent in mercy from above ? 
Every sentence, how tender ! 

Every line is full of love ; 
Listen to it — 
Every line is full of love." 



TJie Sabbath School. 

How shall this institution be made to answer the end for 
which, in the providence of God, it seems designed ? By what 
means can its usefulness be promoted ? When does it occupy 
a proper position in the affections of Christians ? 

1. Sometimes the Sabbath school is estimated too highly ; 
its relative value being over-rated, more is expected of it than 
is reasonable ; hence there follows a disappointment, and a 
consequent discouragement, also a relaxing of the effort 
necessary to sustain it. In certain places, this means of grace 
has been elevated by superintendents and others above the 
pulpit. Such an estimate is wrong, and the result of it is 
necessarily unfavorable, for these schools merit no such pre- 
eminence. 

There are pious parents, who have confided the religious 
instruction of their children altogether too much to this institu- 
tion, and the reflex influence of the school's failing to accom- 



THE SANCTUARY. 279 

plish what was expected of it, has in some instances induced a 
withdrawal of their support. 

2. Generally, the Sabbath school is not estimated so highly 
as it should be. The origin and continuance of this religious 
enterprise, must be ascribed to the special providence of God. 
It can be made instrumental of immense good to Zion, and 
should be regarded as a part of the great system of moral 
machinery, brought into use by the Head of the church. If it 
be not considered as justly claiming a position of gospel dig- 
nity, and as being worthy the prayers and labors of the entire 
company of believers, its prosperity is of necessity limited, and 
may be destroyed. If pastors and a large proportion of the 
communicants turn away from it, or only look at it occasionally 
to avoid rebuke, then the school will decline in spite of every 
effort made to sustain it. 

3. Churches ought prayerfully to ascertain just the place, in 
their affections and in the services of the sanctuary, which 
belongs to this branch of sacred duty. There certainly is a 
part of the Sabbath which ought to be appropriated to the 
exercises of the school. Probably, the precise time may vary 
in different localities. In the country, it seems most proper 
that schools should be convened as soon as possible, after the 
close of the morning's public worship. Having been present 
where it was held at an hour previous to divine service, I 
have invariably felt that to be an unsuitable season. Nor has 
it ever appeared to me useful to engage in the Sabbath school 
just bafore we enter upon the regular services in the afternoon. 
Perhaps there can be no harm in holding the school in a base- 
ment vestry, or in a building distinct from the house of God ; 
but we must not send it out of the holy place, as if it were not 
worthy to be there. Let Christians, yea, let the whole congre- 
gation feel, when the morning benediction is pronounced, that 
the great God is to be worshipped in a manner somewhat 
changed, yet acceptably. The intermission should always be 



280 zion's pathway. 

sufficiently long to accommodate the school, and to give time 
for refreshment and rest, before the afternoon preaching com- 
mences, 

Pastors should identify themselves with the Sabbath schools, 
so far as they are able to do it, and not be unfit for their pecu- 
liar duties. I would by no means countenance the suggestion 
made by a minister, that perhaps one of the regular services 
should be given up for the sake of it. Clergymen are wont to 
say, that they cannot preach as required, and also spend a 
season each Sabbath in the school. They surely can, if God 
require them to do thus. Not one of them may have strength 
to instruct a class, and yet cannot most of them frequently 
cast their eyes over all the classes ? Half an hour devoted 
exclusively to a lesson, is perhaps sufficient at any one time. 

4. We should discard from Sabbath schools all expedients 
and experiments of a doubtful character, relying for success 
upon God and not upon human artifice. Let facts, serious, 
instructive facts, be communicated occasionally, especially at 
the concert for prayer ; but away with mere story -telling. 
Children should be made to feel that the Sabbath is a holy day ; 
that all its exercises are inspected by the eye of the Omnis- 
cient. I would offer no premiums to excite the ambition of a 
scholar, but endeavor to impress upon his mind the great fact 
of his accountability ; for the judgment is not too far off to 
be made influential on the minds even of children. Still the 
faithful may be commended and encouraged by religious pres- 
ents. Questionable, in my opinion, is the attempt to hallow 
the anniversary of our national independence by Sabbath 
school celebrations on that day. Why should we wish to divert 
that occasion from its civil and governmental associations ? It 
commemorates the birth of this republic ; and we ought, as a 
people peculiarly blessed, to remember the struggles of our 
fathers, and the merciful interposition of God. We should 
rejoice to see whole towns assembling on the fourth of July, to 



THE SANCTUARY. 281 

celebrate, in a religious way, the praises of Him, by whose 
aid our arms were victorious. An effort, however, to rescue 
that day from its abuses, by school celebrations, must prove 
a failure. Let children and youth march in the procession. 
Let them wear a badge, but do not let them suppose that they 
are to assume the control of the anniversay. Let them rather 
go forth as the younger members of the community, to enjoy 
variously, though innocently, the delights of hours dear to 
every true republican heart. 

5. The responsibility of the teacher's office must be appre- 
ciated by all seeking the welfare of the Sabbath school, or the 
institution will languish. No one can instruct well, who has 
not thoroughly mastered the lesson. A natural adaptedness 
to teach, is desirable ; yet as perhaps only a few persons in 
any community are endowed with it, great pains are requisite 
to acquire ease in communicating instruction. Meetings for 
teachers are indispensable, and these should be conducted, if 
possible, by the pastor, under whose eye ought to be the entire 
school. What an amount of supplication to God, is every 
week demanded, in order that this institution be made the 
means of salvation to the thousands within it. Ye who desire 
to be honored as agents of eternal good to souls, pray unceas- 
ingly for the Sabbath school, and do with your might every 
duty in it. 

THE MINISTRY. 

Amid the ruins of sin, the Lord is rearing a kingdom, 
which though in the world, it is not of it. The foundations 
thereof were long since laid, and the superstructure has been 
constantly, yet gradually, going up. It is one in all the stages 
of its advancement ; but there have been connected with it two 
dispensations. The first commenced at the beginning of the 
enterprise, and continued till Shiloh, or the Messiah came ; that 
24* 



282 zion's pathway. 

which is not to be superseded by another, began as the second, 
when this glorious personage ascended to the throne mediato- 
rial, and received as King in Zion, the government of the 
kingdom of heaven established upon earth. His rule will be 
continued till the world is reclaimed ; " For he must reign till 
he hath put all enemies under his feet." For the exten- 
sion of this holy empire, is employed the Christian ministry. 
" It pleased God, by the foolishness of preaching, to save them 
that believe." Christ is the author of this agency, and no 
man has a right to assume its functions, who has not been 
divinely called as was Aaron. There are certain requisites 
for entering upon the duties of the sacred office, destitute of 
which, no person has a commission to go forth as a preacher. 
" Unto the wicked, God saith, what hast thou to do, to declare 
my statutes, or that thou shouldst take my covenant in thy 
mouth ? " To thousands, whose piety is pre-eminent, a call to 
minister at the altar has never been extended by the Head of 
the Church. A good heart, though indispensable, is not the 
only necessary preparative for the work. Much mental disci- 
pline is demanded by the nature of the service ere its re- 
sponsibilities are undertaken. That long course of study 
prescribed by the most intelligent sects is quite brief enough. 
Whoever hastily attempts to fill the sphere of an evangelist, 
may sooner or later find that his want of consideration has 
proved his own disgrace, and an injury to the truth. Exalted 
is the ministerial office. 

He that would ascertain what estimate is placed upon the 
sacred calling, by the Spirit, is invited to contemplate such 
representations as the following : " How beautiful upon the 
mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that 
publisheth peace ; that bringeth good tidings of good, that pub- 
lished salvation; that saith unto Zion, thy God reigneth." 
Isa. 52 : 7. 



THE MINISTRY. 283 



The title Bishop. 



In the first epistle of Paul to Timothy, it is said, "If a 
man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work." 
To ascertain definitely the attributes of such an office, we must 
inquire into the import of the term bishop, and that the con- 
clusion of our investigation be in accordance with the mind of 
God, we must resort to the Scriptures. The common meaning 
of the word 'Enlaxonog, translated sometimes in the New 
Testament, bishop, is inspector, overseer, guardian. Ancient 
uninspired writers apply the term to those to whom is in- 
trusted the oversight or guardianship of treaties, laws, wars, 
public works, cities, etc. Minerva, the patroness of Athens, 
was the emcwoTtog, bishop of that city.* 

The magistrates sent out from Athens, to govern her pro- 
vinces, were designated enioKonoi. In the writings of the 
apostles, this word eniwxonog is one of the titles of a minister 
of the gospel, who had the care of a church committed to him. 
The classes of ordinary officers in the churches, which the 
apostles established, were uniformly only two, as their lan- 
guage evinces, and these were pastors STtiaxonoi, and deacons 
dtaxovoi. The pastors are called elders, presbyters, and bishops. 
The two former appellations are from the same word in the ori- 
ginal, rigea^vzegoi. Elders and presbyters, then, in the Apos- 
tolic Church, were officers of equal grade. But in those churches 
an elder and a bishop are one. In the 20th chapter of Acts, 
17th verse, we read that Paul sent from Miletus to Ephesus, 
and called for the elders Trgsa^vTsgovg of the church, and in 
the 28th verse of the same chapter, addressing these elders, 
he calls them bishops. " Take heed therefore unto yourselves, 
and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath 



* See Lexicons of N. T. Greek, also Bible Repository, Vol. IV., p. 254, seq. 



284 zion's pathway. 

made you overseers, smuxoTiovg, to feed the church of God 
which he hath purchased with his own blood." According to an 
inspired apostle, then bishops are simply pastors of churches. 
He, however, affords us more light respecting bishops. Writ- 
ing from Rome to the church at Philippi, he specifies three 
classes : the saints, that is, church members, the bishops, and 
deacons. Phil. 1:1. The bishops were evidently pastors at 
Philippi. In Titus, first chapter, Paul beyond a doubt uses 
the terms elder and bishop as synonymous, as a comparison 
of the fifth and seventh verses will show. 

We have then the scriptural import of the title bishop. 
When applied to man, it designates the pastor of a church ; 
hence, it is easy to understand what his office implies, for it is 
that of a pastor ; just such as every ordained minister, who 
has been installed over a church, holds. We may use the term 
interchangeably with that of pastor or presbyter, just as do the 
Scriptures. It is the opinion of some Christians, that this 
biblical title should be commonly employed to designate him 
who has the religious oversight of a people. But since those 
who arrogate to themselves the peculiar right to it, often prove 
themselves unworthy of it, there might be danger in giving 
others this pleasantly sounding epithet. Christ's ministers are 
all on an equality, except as age, piety, and learning, neces- 
sarily make a species of distinctions. Those who are told 
that their church has no head, may reply, we have one even 
Jesus. " For ye were as sheep going astray ; but now are 
returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls." 
1 Peter 2 : 25. 



The Pastor. — His first 

My design is to consider the minister of Jesus in his rela- 
tion as an under shepherd or bishop. And of him it may be 
said that he occupies a position higher than a throne, and sus- 



THE MINISTRY. 285 

tains responsibilities greater than are imposed on any other 
man. The relations borne by him, to a church, demand his 
time and best attention. If the field in which he labors be too 
contracted, the Lord will, in due time, enlarge it ; or will 
transfer him to another, provided he is faithful in the sphere 
first assigned. Every minister of Christ will be furnished, by 
his Master, with work enough through life. 

Entire consecration to the ministry does not preclude the 
examination of all subjects, not strictly religious, if attention 
to them in no way interfere with a faithful discharge of the 
duties of the pastoral office. The weekly study of mathe- 
matics, or of ancient languages, may greatly assist the pastor, 
by invigorating and expanding his intellectual powers. In- 
deed, some attention to secular branches of study is absolutely 
essential. But, in all his plans, whether relating to journeying 
or reading, or any thing else, his aim ought to be, the best per- 
formance of ministerial labor. Nothing should be allowed to 
interfere with his holy pursuits. So devoted must he be to 
sacred services, that not only the inmates of his own bouse, 
but all who know him shall feel, when in his presence, that he 
is full of divine thoughts. Every where and at all times, he 
should be regarded as preeminently a man of God. The 
Sabbath is the great day of salvation ; and the appointed 
means of grace being the preaching of the word, the week 
should, ordinarily, be spent in preparing for the return of 
sanctified hours. 

No man can be well qualified to instruct others who is not 
himself a constant student. The inspired charge runs thus : 
" Meditate upon these things ; give thyself wholly to them ; 
that thy profiting may appear to all." What is here com- 
manded, must be an habitual practice. 

We affirm, boldly, that to rise before an audience, in the 
sanctuary, without special preparation, except in those in- 
stances when the providence of God has prevented it, is not 



286 zion's pathway. 

merely wrong ; it is abusive to the hearer and trifling with 
divine things. " I always thought it to be a most awful thing 
to go into the pulpit, and there speak nonsense in the name of 
God.* 

If a preacher can attract large congregations without study, 
he is bound to be as much more efficient than now, as fidelity 
in preparing for the Sabbath can render him. Is one a 
hundred times my superior, while he makes no special efforts, 
he is bound to increase that superiority to the utmost degree 
attainable, by diligence in mental application. " I use notes as 
much as any man, when I take pains ; and as little as any man 
when I am lazy or busy, or have not leisure to prepare. It 
is easier to us to preach three sermons without notes than one 
with them."f 

The ministers of Christ are required by him to improve 
their talents, and to do this, they must tax themselves with 
study daily ; and, especially, be frequently on their knees, seek- 
ing light and grace from the infinite Source. The pastor 
should, in all things, magnify his office, " giving no offence in 
any thing, that the ministry be not blamed ; " striving to shew 
himself " approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to 
be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 

The Example of Paul. 

In the course of his ministry, the apostle Paul visited 
Corinth, a large and celebrated city of Greece. The locality, 
his discouragement at first, and subsequent success, the oc- 
currences after his departure, and the triumphant vindication 
of his own course when he was assailed by a false teacher, 
render that place conspicuous among the communities where 
this zealous servant of the Lord proclaimed the doctrines of 

* President Davies. t Richard Baxter. 



THE MINISTRY. 287 

revealed religion. The city stood on an isthmus, from which 
its own name was derived, and, being thus located between 
two harbors, it held a central position in the civilized world. 
Merchants from all countries met in it and exchanged their 
articles of traffic, so that the wealth of the nations flowed into 
Corinth. In it were the celebrated games, called Isthmian, 
from the site on which they were acted, and these added fame 
to the city. All the arts which minister to convenience, lux- 
ury and ornament, there reached a very high degree of per- 
fection. The eye, the ear, the taste and the passions rejoiced 
in the ever present profusion provided for each. 

Schools of rhetoric and philosophy were established there, 
and instructed by able masters. Such was the concourse of 
those seeking wisdom at this fountain, that the city was 
thronged with the learned and the skilful. Cicero termed 
Corinth " totius Grcecice lumen" the light of all Greece. 
Morals, however, were as bad as possible. Neither philos- 
ophers nor rhetoricians effected any thing favorable in this 
respect, but the reverse. Universal scepticism also prevailed. 
The temple of Venus, with its thousand priestesses, was, under 
the sanction of religion, a patron of the worst practices. The 
vices, not less than the wealth and wisdom of the world, 
centred in this renowned city ; and to affirm that an individual 
was living after the manner of its inhabitants, was a method 
of designating an abandoned course ; that is, " a profligate life 
was commonly called a Corinthian life." 

Such was the place and the people. Thither, guided by the 
Spirit of Christ, Paul came to publish salvation. His first 
efforts were with the Jewish residents ; but these violently 
opposed him and " blasphemed," when shaking his raiment and 
saying, " Your blood be upon your own heads," he turned to 
the Gentiles. Encouraged by a vision from the Lord in the 
night, he continued in this city a year and six months, preach- 
ing the word. Having founded a flourishing church, he obeys 



288 zion's pathway. 

the divine summons to go elsewhere. But scarcely has his 
departure occurred, when attempts are made to overturn the 
faith of believers. A false teacher, an ambitious, deceiving 
Sadducee, enters that field of apostolic toils. In order to in- 
gratiate himself into favor with the people in general, he denies 
those doctrines which were repulsive ; and that he may control 
the church, he seeks to withdraw all attachment from him who 
had instrumentally raised its members from their degradation 
into a Christian society. This man insinuates that Paul had 
neither mental nor physical ability sufficient to be an apostle ; 
" his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible." 
Some there, as in every church, were unprepared to withstand 
artifice ; these were deluded. Others, however, remained firm, 
and deputized certain individuals to go, bearing with them a 
written communication to him who was their spiritual father. 
The result of that wicked attempt to destroy the church at 
Corinth, was overruled so as to promote exceedingly the inter- 
ests of true piety, not only at the time, but in every age sub- 
sequently, even to the end of the world. Paul's Epistle, 
written to meet the exigencies of the case, is an invaluable 
discussion of principles, conjoined with admonitions and ex- 
hortations needful in all communions of the saints. 

I desire clearly to exhibit the apostle's own declaration con- 
cerning the matter and manner of his preaching at Corinth, 
and to show the importance of his course there, being imitated 
by all those who preach the gospel. His statement is in these 
words : " For I determined not to know any thing among you, 
save Jesus Christ and him crucified." He would have the 
Corinthians understand that his thoughts and language were 
not of a peculiar cast, because of intellectual sterility. We 
hear him by implication affirming, I have acted from prin- 
ciple. I came to you in the w T ay just described, because such 
was my object in going to your city, and continuing there for 
eighteen months. I was shut up by a sense of duty to avoid 



THE MINISTRY. 289 

the very course which now the false teacher is pursuing. I 
purposely shunned " that nice choice and arrangement of 
words, that artificial rounding and disposition of periods ; those 
rhetorical connections, transitions and figures ; and those stu- 
died tones and gestures in which, according to the Greeks, the 
perfection of eloquence consisted." 

In schools of celebrity the apostle had been taught ; among 
the orators of the isthmus there was none more eloquent than 
he ; but he went not thither to show human learning ; he 
sought not to gain the ear by rhetorical exhibitions. " My 
speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's 
wisdom." To display himself was none of his aim. He had 
but one object, and that was to exhibit Christ and him cruci- 
fied ; and in the accomplishment of this, he did not attempt to 
catch attention by " splendor of diction or by ingenuity of 
reasoning." An atoning Saviour was the centre, in which all 
the lines of his discourse met when declaring the whole coun- 
sel of God. 

What herald of redeeming mercy should not pursue the 
same course? Did not as powerful inducements present 
themselves to the mind of the apostle, to use his great powers 
of intellect in some literary or scientific sphere, as ever tempt 
his successors in the ministry ? Fine opportunities, doubtless, 
there were for him to have distinguished himself as a writer, 
debater, philosopher and rhetorician. Could he not have won 
the esteem of the learned and the influential, by engaging with 
them in seeking human distinctions ? Guided by grace, his 
conclusion was as himself states ; and ought he not to be a 
model for all gospel ministers ? Is not a plea for a different 
course necessarily based on erroneous premises ? 

Jesus Christ and him crucified should be the absorbing 
theme of every pastor and licentiate in the sacred calling. 
Proof of the correctness of this position appears in the nature 
25 



290 zion's pathway. 

of the ministry. I cannot enter into a protracted discussion 
of this profound theme, but may be allowed a few hints. 

1. The design of the ministry is to instruct the world in 
the doctrines of Christ ; to make them known to every crea- 
ture. Our Lord did not command his disciples to go forth and 
teach the nations eloquence, philosophy, and astronomy. They 
were not commissioned to establish schools of science, or to 
devote themselves to the arts. Intellectual education will in- 
deed result from the faithful exhibition of revealed religion, 
but Jesus and him crucified must be the subject of the 
preacher, or he will overlook the trust committed to him. He 
is primarily concerned with mankind in their immediate rela- 
tions to God manifest in the flesh. 

2. So great is the theme of the preacher, that it demands 
the application to it of the entire powers which the Creator 
has imparted to those divinely called into the ministry. Christ 
and him crucified ! How deep and high ; how exalted and 
far reaching this subject ! The whole counsel of God is em- 
braced in it. No truth of revelation is disconnected with it. 
The Bible is full of Him who came to bear our sins in his own 
body on the tree. Strange is the idea that a little thought 
will suffice for this sublime and infinite topic. They to whom 
it seems trivial, know not the beginning of its greatness ; have 
never beheld its outlines. 

3. What Paul made his sole theme must fill the mind of 
the minister, or he will become morally unfit to discharge the 
duties of his office. The pursuits of ambition do not encour- 
age spiritual emotions, but tend to eradicate them. A high 
degree of devotional feeling is requisite in order for a clear 
and strong apprehension of the doctrines of the Redeemer. 
The study of theology cannot be very successfully prosecuted 
in any department of it, without fervent piety. Cold, abstract 
views of God are comparatively worthless ; but especially 
does the successful contemplation of Jehovah made known in 



THE MINISTRY. 291 

Immanuel, depend upon a heart glowing with heavenly love. 
No other profession so much requires an undivided applica- 
tion to it, as does that which he has chosen, who serves at the 
altar. One must daily live in the temple of gospel truth, or 
be almost a stranger there. It will not suffice to step into it 
now and then. With much fasting and many prayers, from 
month to month, and year to year, his home must be within it. 
How can an individual, (though ranked among the sacred 
heralds,) who has been participating in the strife of a political 
caucus, or is enthusiastically borne away in a presidential 
campaign, guide a sinner to Jesus ? What moral fitness has 
the preacher for the holy place to which he is summoned, 
after he has passed six days in legislative halls ? And, thou 
speculator in gold, thou trafficking pastor, listen ! The sacred 
walls about thee are crying out in vengeance. A guide to 
souls ! Alas, not to heaven dost thou lead them, but to hell, 
whither they will speed their way fast enough without thy 
forerunning influence. 

Paul at Corinth wrought a little with his own fingers at his 
juvenile trade of tent-making. Wherefore? So that he might 
know nothing save Jesus Christ and him crucified. He dili- 
gently waited for the Lord to open the door ; his zeal was to 
make the most of his ministry. Unlike to him, in a degree as 
great as possible, are those who refuse to enter an open field 
of usefulness, because pecuniary temptations allure them 
another way. How great and happy a change would Zion 
soon exhibit, if all the ministers at her altars would know 
nothing but their Master crucified. Too much the thoughts of 
many preachers are secularized. 

Gold and silver, houses and lands, mines of minerals and 
mines of combustibles attract not a few of them altogether too 
strongly. Some we perceive are borrowing trouble, not merely 
about the morrow ; their solicitude extends to the next gene- 
ration. Whence this zeal in procuring life insurances ? Has 



292 



Jehovah ceased to be the widow's God and the Father of the 
fatherless ? Must the ministers of Him who had not where to 
lay his head be hunting after fortunes for their posterity ? 

4. It deserves serious inquiry, whether many of the reforms, 
as now conducted, are not pernicious in their influence upon 
the sacred office. Is not their tendency inevitably to divert 
the pastor's mind from the apostle's course ? Never was there 
a greater renovator of society than he ; even devils fled before 
him ; yet he only carried out in every place the resolution at 
Corinth. He never appeared otherwise than a preacher of 
the gospel, which, faithfully proclaimed, will, as its appropriate 
effect, eventually destroy every social and moral evil. All 
nations shall be purified by the doctrines of the cross. No 
other instrumentality has been started by God ; none beside 
is to be expected from him. What has the world ever gained 
by Christ's ministers becoming political agitators, or, in the 
technical sense, moral reformers ? The church must weep and 
put on sackcloth, when her sons, whose place is by the altars, 
are away with the excited multitude. Fidelity in his pulpit 
will enable the pastor to move his people, and thus shall evils be 
removed, yea, the world be blessed, by zeal inspired through 
his attention to his own appropriate work. 

5. Paul's resolve at Corinth should be strictly adopted, for 
only by so doing can the heralds of the cross save themselves 
from all hurtful mistakes in the discharge of their duties, and de- 
liver their hearers from hell. Let them cling, as did the apostle, 
to Christ and him crucified, and they will never be found indulg- 
ing in vain speculations. New doctrines they will reject, 
because of their newness ; for scriptural truths are old ; they 
are immutable. Man's proud spirit loves to soar high and 
dive deep ; but to indulge this tendency, evinces both wicked- 
ness and weakness. Cease, ye servants of the Lord, from 
attempts to fly with mere waxen wings. Try no more the 
experiment. 



THE MINISTRY. 293 

Oh, let it be impressed upon your hearts and engraven 
upon your memories, ye ministers of my God, that sinners are 
never saved by hearing essays on the fine arts, nor by sermons 
on the sciences. Lectures on geology, and botany, and mine- 
ralogy, and astronomy, do not lead men to repentance ; nor 
does that preaching which fails to make Jesus and him cruci- 
fied its one great all-absorbing theme. The Lord holds you to 
the course of the apostle, and woe to him departing from it. 

6. Whoever has entered the ministry, adopting and adhering 
to the apostle's resolution, will never lack topics for discourses. 
To such an one, the Scriptures, from first to last, are little else 
than a glowing account of the Lord Jesus. He h seen in pre- 
diction, and in the numerous types and institutions, the begin- 
ning of which was early, and their continuance down even to 
the great sacrifice on Calvary. The law and the prophets 
meet in him ; yea, they emanated from him. No marvel 
should it be if some who attempt to preach, find themselves 
without themes. They have not entered the region of living 
waters ; the bread of heaven has never been rained upon their 
field ; the gold mines do not lie within the compass of their 
travels. Both preacher and hearer must perish, unless a new 
era opens in their history. 

We feel constrained to point them to a special exhortation 
of the King who reigns in the holy hill of Zion ; " I counsel 
thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou may est be rich ; 
and white raiment that thou mayest be clothed, and that the 
shame of thy nakedness do not appear ; and anoint thine eyes 
with eye-salve, that thou mayest see." When Christ is not beheld 
in the Bible, but very little of spiritual interest is therein dis- 
covered. He is, in fact, so completely the subject of this 
volume, that it is impossible to perceive much of value if he 
be unperceived. Hard is thy portion, thou nominal preacher, 
who art ready to glory in any thing rather than in the cruci- 
fied Saviour ! Down from that pinnacle, thou bold presumer ! 
25* 



294 zion's pathway. 

Thinkest thou to instruct men how they may inherit eternal 
life, when unknown to thee are the first requisites for entering 
the path to heaven ? Salvation does not come from the hills, 
nor from the valleys. Flowers do not exhale it, poetry cannot 
create it. Christ crucified is its only fountain. 

"Most wretched, most contemptible, most vile 
Stood the false priest, and in his conscience felt 
The fellest gnaw of the undying worm ! 
And so he might, for he had on his hands 
The blood of souls that would not wipe away." 

7. All ministers of the Gospel who determine to know noth- 
ing among their hearers save Jesus and him crucified, are far 
from decrying human learning. Such heralds of the cross feel 
the need of the best mental discipline attainable. They desire 
to enforce truth with unlimited energy and zeal. Christ is a 
theme which " deserves, invites, and inspires, the strongest 
fire of the orator." In extolling him, " we cannot shock the 
most delicate taste by overstrained hyperboles. Here the cli- 
max rises till it is out of sight ; our imagery cannot be too 
strong and rich." While it is wholly out of place to preach 
science or to display literary acquisitions in the sacred desk, 
he makes a bold venture who undertakes to unfold to his fellow- 
men the wonders of redemption without having first gone 
through a long course of disciplinary studies. No amount of 
scientific or literary acquisitions can make a gospel preacher, 
yet such attainments are necessary. Doubtless the apostle 
was truly thankful for the peculiar opportunities which he had 
enjoyed to acquire secular knowledge before he was called 
into the service of the Redeemer. He surely never decried 
his acquisitions. Every page of his writings illustrates the 
benefit he derived from a severe course of mental discipline. 

8. Those who know nothing, save Christ and him crucified, 
will perform most zealously the work assigned them. It is 
their joy to herald divine truth as fast and as far as possible. 



THE MINISTRY. 295 

They have a lively sense of the soul's value, and of the adapt- 
edness of the gospel to secure its regeneration and sanctifi- 
cation. In no other way does the importance of salvation 
become so clear, as when contemplated in the light of what has 
been done to furnish it. Sinai's thunders overwhelm with 
terror, but the groans of Calvary proclaim the soul's infinite 
worth. Arithmetical calculations about the undying spirit do 
not much impress our minds. If we realize that Jesus died 
for us, then shall we, if ever, earnestly flee to him for the new 
heart and the new spirit essential for admittance into the heav- 
enly state. Sabbath services are never cold and uninteresting, 
when the religious teacher is devoutly near the cross. Nor 
do the secular days of the week draw the heart of such a min- 
ister away from his Master. Every where the duties of his 
profession are remembered and honored. Daily he asks for 
mercy, that the perishing among his people may become saints 
of the Most High. His is not a mere Sabbath-day preaching ; 
perpetually he extols the Saviour. Fidelity renders the gos- 
pel herald a burning and a shining light in all his dealings 
with men. 

In a farewell address to one people, the apostle Paul said, 
" Remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to 
warn every man night and day with tears." Will not the im- 
itators of his faith, copy also his untiring zeal ? Nay, can it 
be other than true of them, as the Redeemer said, " The zeal 
of thine house hath eaten me up ?" 

9. One aspect more of this subject requires a moment's 
regard. I refer to those innumerable influences which tend to 
lead the mind from that constant fixedness upon the atoning 
Lamb of God, which should characterize every public servant 
of Jesus. What a multiplicity of calls ! , How easy it is to 
spend one's whole time in unfitting himself to preach. Per- 
haps the apostle was tried as much as any one in this age, but 
it is scarcely conceivable that he should have been, yet we do 



296 

not suppose he was free from allurements. Divers now are the 
arts of the adversary, to lessen, if not to destroy utterly the 
usefulness of Christ's ministers. Truly, with him whose re- 
solve we have now contemplated, each humble pastor will 
request of the flock of God an interest in their intercessions. 
Let the prayers of the church be fervent and unceasing, that 
the under-shepherds may know nothing save Jesus Christ and 
him crucified. And thou, the Sarnctifier, baptize anew and 
daily the proclaimers of eternal truth. O, save them from 
every influence pernicious to their profession. 

A Second Specification in regard to the Pastor's Duty. 

Having devoted himself entirely to his profession, the pas- 
tor should trust in God alone for success. Neither the preacher 
of the gospel, nor the word delivered, possesses saving efficacy. 
He is as destitute of ability to heal men's souls, as Moses was 
of power to divide the Red Sea. 

I would not liken divine truth to the rod that was extended 
at the direction of Jehovah, as a signal for the waters to sep- 
arate ; yet, I presume that rod was not more certainly devoid 
of power to act upon the liquid element, than is truth alone to 
affect, savingly, the sinner's heart. 

The rock, afterwards smitten, and from which flowed a flood, 
to quench the thirst of man and of beast, was not less impres- 
sible by the word of Moses, or the instrument with which he 
smote it, than is the moral nature of human beings, by the 
mere art and persuasives of the preacher. Were the pastor 
as eloquent as is the Holy Ghost, he could not renew a heart ; 
for eloquence has no attribute by which to effect a moral ren- 
ovation. Such a work is the peculiar prerogative of the third 
person in the Trinity. 

Any confidence reposed in the hearer, as if he might make 
himself a regenerate nature, will be disappointed. Though a 



THE MINISTRY. 297 

thousand new hearts be made by sinners, they never secure to 
themselves, by mere efforts of their own, holy hearts. 

Much is said of improvements in the science of theology J 
as if preachers in our day have great advantage, in this respect, 
over their predecessors. But where is the evidence of a 
favorable change ? Alas ! we are sickened by the oft-repeated 
boastings which we have heard of this nature. A new divin- 
ity is not, of course, Bible divinity, and the converts made to 
it, or by it, are not such as inherit the kingdom of God ; for 
all heavenward-bound persons embrace the old-fashioned 
scriptural theology, which the fathers in the church held and 
taught quite as successfully as do any in this age of self- 
glorying. In the millennium, it is thought bonfires will con- 
sume the works which explain and defend every sort of new 
divinity. 

Sinners will not come to Christ, as a consequence of being 
flattered in respect to their ability. The more they are thus 
treated, the less inclined are they to seek salvation. Multi- 
tudes, of late years, as facts show, have been greatly injured 
by certain views of ability, denominated new, which have been 
held up before them. Discourses, setting forth, exorbitantly, 
the sinner's power to work in himself that which is good, have 
exerted a most baneful influence upon the religious state of the 
world. The impenitent appear to regard themselves as able to 
do what evil spirits would not dare attempt — dethrone the Al- 
mighty. So far has the late preaching of moral ability been from 
making saints of sinners, that it has rather caused the latter to 
feel that saintship is not very desirable, and that themselves 
can do as they will on earth, and enter heaven or not, at pleas- 
ure. God is powerless ; they are wonderful in strength, 
omnipotent to do or not to do, whatever they may please, in 
reference to their souls. 

The preacher of the gospel should ever feel that he can no 
more raise up to spiritual life, by any act of his own, one, 



298 zion's pathway. 

dead in sins, than he can restore to natural life the corpse, from 
which the breath is gone, and that there is no regenerative 
power in the unrenewed. It requires the infinite Spirit to re- 
generate the soul of man, as certainly as it does Omnipotence 
to revivify a lifeless body. Let, then, the pastor trust in God 
alone, for success in the holy business of proclaiming salvation, 
if he would not destroy those committed to his charge. 

Some Dangers attendant on the Pastoral Office, specified. 

I shall now specify a few of the particulars, constituting the 
dangers which beset the path of every pastor. 

1. He is in danger of dwelling too much on the darkened 
prospects of Zion, and thus coming to feel, whenever a cloud 
passes before his eyes, that the sun in the heavens is actually 
losing its power to shine ; or, when a little disturbance occurs 
in the limited sphere of his observation, that the foundations 
of God's everlasting throne are giving way ; or when one who 
has held the sacred office, betrays his trust, as if rebellion had 
broken out in the army of angels, and that Messiah would be 
compelled to devote all his energies to quelling it. He is lia- 
ble to ruminate so much on little matters, as to be thrown out 
of his orbit by the force of a feather, or to be greatly im- 
peded, if not driven back, by the feeblest opposing current of 
air. A pastor, who does not reflect much on the great things 
of the kingdom, will be often in trouble from those that are 
trivial in themselves, and, on any account, scarcely worthy of 
notice. 

2. He is, on the other hand, in danger of being elated with 
a small degree of success ; yea, of rejoicing in the works of 
his own hands, rather than of glorying in nothing save the 
cross of Christ. Perhaps he will be consoling himself that the 
Lord's vineyard is greatly beautified by his efforts, when the 
visitant angels are actually weeping over his remissness. Few 



THE MINISTRY. 299 

pastors, it is feared, set their standard of effort sufficiently- 
high, or consider the amount of toil which the gospel demands. 
Some of them seem not disposed to be very anxious, whatever 
may transpire. 

It is an age of amazing activity, in the affairs of the world, 
and there must be a corresponding energy in divine pursuits, 
in order to success ; and the Lord's ministers should lead the 
sacramental hosts in all the enterprises demanded by the truth. 
Moreover, it is an era of luxurious living, and of excessive 
devotion to fashions. The holiest among the watchmen of 
Zion are not beyond the reach of temptation ; but an habitual 
indulgence of the appetite, or a yielding to the numerous calls 
of folly, breaking as they do upon his ears, in every direction, 
will be ruinous to a minister's character. Fashionists are unfit 
to enter pulpits. A fop merits the contempt of all sober-minded 
persons. Poor, the pastors of churches usually are, yet possi- 
bly some of them have indulged a tendency to extravagance, 
in food, clothing, and household furniture. 

Who, more than the heralds of the cross, need vigorous con- 
stitutions ? Alas, how many of the shepherds of Israel, are 
feeble and dull. Why should not the careless hearer sleep, 
when the voice of the speaker is as lulling as the gentle mur- 
murs of the rill, and his thoughts are as destitute of energy, 
as are the mental efforts of a fainting person ? 

Once, in by-gone years, it is said, that people resorted in 
great numbers to the sanctuaries, on purpose to hear the truth, 
and, in some places, they would listen to a discourse of two 
hours in length ; now, in respect to the majority of a com- 
munity, it is true that they must be drawn to the house of God, 
and held there, or they are not seen at all within the holy 
place. Monotonous tones, and dull performances, will not 
suffice in these last days of Satan's triumph. 

Shall the pastor congratulate himself, that he is safely and 
honorably through the Sabbath, because he has spoken to a 



300 zion's pathway. 

little company, when, as a matter of fact, hundreds, within the 
sound of his own church-bell, have not been affected at all by 
the services ? yea, while card-playing, visiting, riding and 
manual labor, have been prominent characteristics of a multi- 
tude, within his parish limits ? O, the preacher ought to be 
alarmed, if the community be not moved, each Lord's day, by 
the gospel, proclaimed in its midst. Let those, who will not 
yield to truth, be excited by the pastor's fidelity to oppose it. 
Wrath, aroused in consequence of pungent preaching, is far 
more encouraging than stupor. 

3. Danger attends the important duty of visiting a people. 
A class almost entirely neglect this branch of pastoral labor ; 
their only parochial calls are made upon the sick, and upon 
those who have sent them a special invitation. One thing, 
however, is certain. The success of the gospel, in nearly all 
places, depends, very much, upon the fidelity of a minister, in 
going from house to house. 

Select congregations may be gathered in cities, without this 
species of effort. But even the elect ones, constituting such 
an assembly, will complain, and justly too, if they are not 
visited occasionally by their spiritual guides. 

It is an essential part of the pastor's service, to acquaint 
himself with the individual religious necessities of his flock. A 
physician acts as wisely, if he do not examine the symptoms of 
his patient, as a minister of the gospel does, if he do not search 
into the moral state of his hearer. A large proportion of per- 
sons cannot be reached by mere pulpit performances. Further- 
more, we owe it to our flocks, to enter often their dwellings, 
sympathizing with the afflicted, rejoicing with the prospered, 
reproving the erring, and counselling the desponding. Prayer- 
ful, personal interviews, God blesses to the present and eternal 
well-being of those who receive them. 

The danger does not, however, lie all on one side. Nothing 
should interfere with a careful preparation for the Sabbath. 



THE MINISTRY. 301 

A pastor maybe too fond of spending his time among the 
people. It is possible for him to love the social interview 
more than he does close application in the study, and to err in 
this direction, is a greater evil than to be over-much devoted 
to intellectual efforts. He is soon despised, who spends all his 
time, during the week in parochial touring. A very great 
degreee of familiarity, on the part of a minister, induces con- 
tempt from his flock. 

4. The pastor is in danger of being indolent, and woe to him 
if he be not diligent in business, as well as fervent in spirit. 

The constant pressure, which is generally felt, by those in 
the sacred profession, will not, of course, make them truly 
laborious. One may see so much to be done, that he will con- 
clude to do nothing as he ought. " What man on earth is so 
pernicious a drone, as an idle clergyman ? " The fact, that a 
discourse, when once delivered, may be of no farther service* 
exerts perhaps an unfavorable influence upon minds naturally 
slothful. There is a class of works denominated helps, which 
doubtless prove, in numerous instances, great hindrances to 
mental advancement. Alas, there are those, who use these 
crutches, who should walk without aid. They lean upon 
others, and by so doing, they confess themselves weak. 

5. Another danger arises from a ruling love of study. Here 
the evil is, that scientific and literary avocations absorb the 
time and strength, which ought, chiefly, to be devoted to the 
closet, and to preparation for the sacred desk. The love of hu- 
man distinction, we fear, carries captive some of the watchmen 
of Zion. Praying and preaching they cast into the shade. What 
a constant running to deliver literary lectures ! Do the minis- 
ters of Jesus feel themselves honored by being associated with 
the vilest infidels in the land ? Surely their Lord is not thus 
glorified ! Intimately connected with this evil, is another, if 
the two can be separated. Parishes must be abandoned, for 
the sake of seeing foreign lands. It should give us joy, that 

26 



302 zion's pathway. 

God is bringing, as it were, all parts of the world into mutual 
acquaintance. May He overturn and overturn, among the 
nations, until the moral, intellectual, and physical condition of 
the entire globe shall become familiar to all enlightened minds. 
We are thankful that a goodly number of Christ's ministers, 
from our land, have traversed the old world ; yet, there is dan- 
ger that a voyage to Europe, or a year in Germany, will 
utterly ruin some of the standard-bearers in the sacramental 
army. Our objection is not to the going, but to the end too 
often sought. 

6. A danger, which, perhaps, more than any one previous- 
ly named, threatens the pastor, is neglect of the Scriptures. 
Mere philological investigations do not insure a knowledge of 
divine truth. A man can understand the grammar of the 
Scriptures, and still be ignorant of their spiritual import. 

All preaching is not biblical. Yet no other ever benefits 
the souls of men. We have heard of discourses, which had 
nothing but the text, to remind the hearer that they claimed 
to be sermons. 

The word of God, in its deep spiritual import, is probably 
now less apprehended by Christians in general, and by hun- 
dreds of evangelical ministers, than it was half a century since. 
We go about it, and leave its depths unexplored. Hence, our 
piety is not deep ; we do not melt before the cross. 

" We want men of hot hearts to tell of the love of Christ," 
said a converted Chinese ; and is it not true in America, that 
such persons are needed to speak of redeeming love ? But is 
there not a fearful deficiency among us in this respect ? Are 
there not cold hearts in great numbers of the pulpits every 
Sabbath ? I fear all the exercises are sometimes conducted 
without religious heat, sufficient to melt a moral snow-flake. 
Of many a preacher, it may be affirmed, he is cold, cold, very 
cold ; but a mere round of services does not meet the wants of 
his auditors. They need to be aroused, and must be, by the 



THE MINISTRY. 303 

speaker, or they will sleep. He that enters the pulpit at this 
day, depending on his audience for inspiration, will be a dull 
performer in the house of God. Christ's ambassadors should 
present themselves before the people prepared to create an in- 
terest. The sanctuary ought to be known as the place where 
men are moved to reflect on heavenly themes. "Let the 
preacher's head be stored with wisdom ; but above all, let his 
heart so feel his subject, that he may infuse life and interest 
into it by speaking like one who actually possesses and feels 
what he says." Give the people light ; give them also heat. 
Enough, and more than enough has there been of preaching, 
which is as destitute of warmth as are moon-beams. It has 
been said, that " a wise minister stands between practical athe- 
ism and religious enthusiasm." 

To secure the hot hearts needed, it is in vain to visit Ger- 
many, or other foreign countries. Nor can they be obtained 
by speculations on " new divinity" Neither will the arts of 
logic and rhetoric produce them ; God alone can give them, 
and his servants must seek to Him for them. Sailing around 
the earth, exploring distant lands, gaining acquaintance with 
the wisdom of other climes and ages, seeking the highest ac- 
complishments afforded by science and literature, are all well 
in their place ; but the ambassadors of Jesus should know that 
the duty assigned them by their King, is so to unfold the gos- 
pel that multitudes shall be saved. For this end they must 
have hot hearts. 

The Support of Pastors. 

Salvation is free to the penitent and believing. No man 
has a right to wall up the way to the fountain of life. The 
office of a bishop ought never to be accepted, for the sake of 
accumulating property. But those preaching the gospel must 
somehow be provided with the necessaries of an earthly ex- 
istence ; they are not to expect a miraculous support. 



304 zion's pathway. 

The caption above brings up a subject which is always oc- 
casioning much uneasiness, ill-will, discussion and distraction 
in religious societies. I will trouble my reader with only a 
few suggestions concerning it. 

1. If generally pastors are receiving too much salary, they 
ought to be willing to receive less. Too much may be an evil 
to them not less serious than is a deficiency. 

2. A parish ought not hastily to conclude that their minister 
is receiving more than a sufficiency, because some individuals 
refuse to help support him. How can " signing off" * dimin- 
ish his actual necessities ? Does it in any way enrich him ? 

3. When a salary must be reduced, all the transactions rela- 
tive to it should be characterized by candor and dignity. Do 
not treat a minister of Jesus ungentlemanly, because you are 
about to take away a part of his subsistence. If you must 
starve him, do not first stone him. 

4. An attempt to expel a pastor by withholding from him 
his due, is not only wicked, but it would be an act unworthy 
even of devils. Every circumstance connected with the re- 
moval of an ambassador of Jesus from a particular charge, 
should be arranged with care. " Not with eye-service as men 
pleas ers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God 
from the heart." 

5. While some are regarding the salary of their pastor as 
too high, it would be safe to ascertain whether it be not too 
low, and ought not to be raised with as little delay as possible. 
Let the truth be exhibited and permitted to speak out em- 
phatically. 

* Members of religious societies, long established in some parts of New 
England, need no explanation of this phrase. To those unacquainted with its 
practical operations, I would say, that, like the veto power vested in the Pre- 
sident of the United States, " signing off " may be at times a necessary resort, 
though the instances calling for its exercise are not common. So associated 
with proceedings, neither Christian nor manly, has this term become, that 
when we hear one has "signed off," we immediately consider him less than 
half a man. 



THE MINISTRY. 305 

6. The same nominal sum has a different value in places 
but little removed one from another. Some people are liberal, 
making presents of hundreds of dollars yearly to their religious 
teacher. Many parishes would sooner slander their minister, 
than send him even a basket of fruit. As an instance, sup- 
pose three pastors are settled within the circuit of a few miles ; 
the stated salary of each is six hundred dollars annually. 
While one receives just that sum, another gets seven, and 
a third eight hundred dollars in the course of twelve months. 

7. Facts, if consulted, would show, that pastors of churches 
are paid less in proportion to their expenses necessarily in- 
curred, and the service rendered by them, than is any other 
class of persons. Perhaps this is right ; it may be decidedly 
wrong. Moreover, not a few of Christ's servants are greatly 
embarrassed from the beginning to the end of the year. 

8. It is worthy of prayerful inquiry, whether God is not dis- 
pleased with his people for quarrelling so much with his minis- 
ters in regard to their salaries. Professors of religion, while 
luxuriating in wealth, are sometimes anxious that their pastor 
should lessen that almost insignificant sum, which he expects 
to receive, as his only means of living. 

9. Would it not be well for Christians to appoint yearly, a 
day of fasting and prayer, just before the time arrives for their 
parish battle, in order that God may be consulted in reference 
to the approaching important struggle ? 

10. May Jehovah enable the heralds of salvation to preach 
the gospel out of love to men's souls, and not for an earthly 
compensation. They should all be able to say, " For the love 
of Christ constraineth us." O privilege exalted, to publish 
abroad the name of Immanuel. Prize it, ye who possess it, and 
persevere, though ye have no where to lay your head at night, 

" How beauteous are their feet 

Who stand on Zion's hill, 
Who bring salvation on their tongues, 

And words of peace reveal." 

26* 



806 zion's pathway. 

Yet it is certain that no community will long prosper, in 
which religious institutions are not supported with due liberal- 
ity. At the same time it is evident, that no man is suited to 
the sacred office, who will not himself make the sacrifices most 
clearly demanded in saving mankind from hell. Let pastors 
and parishes give themselves to prayer, with respect to this, 
and every matter of duty. Surely an end ought to be reached 
in this protracted controversy, relative to the feeding and the 
clothing of the Lord's prophets. 

A Mournful Fact. 

It is quite common in a parish for the remark to be made, 
that there is " no tenement" for the minister of the gospel. 
Perhaps he has been settled among a people as their spiritual 
shepherd for years, and all that time, like a certain dove, has 
found no rest for the sole of his foot. A pastor, not long since 
dismissed from an able parish, had preached in it more than 
half a dozen years, yet all the while he was subject to incon- 
venience for want of a suitable dwelling, when one might have 
been provided with great ease. A good minister, now in 
heaven, was tossed about from year to year, in a prosperous 
community, because the society to which he ministered would 
not fulfil its agreement to erect a parsonage. While I am 
writing, there are scores of Christ's servants, pastors of wealthy 
churches, perplexed exceedingly, because no comfortable hab- 
itations are furnished them. A catalogue of facts on this sub- 
ject might easily be collected, at the recital of which, both the 
ears of every hearer would tingle, unless the listener should him- 
self be of the guilty party. Why should those whom the Lord 
employs, be hunted about in a place, till they are driven out of 
it, as if they were devouring beasts from the woods ? If a 
parsonage be built, the probability is that it will be a standing 
proof of contractedness, or, at least, it will differ decidedly from 



THE MINISTRY. 307 

the expressed wish of him who is expecting to occupy it. 
Some part will be unfinished, and perhaps it will be amazing- 
ly incommodious. Not unfrequently these edifices are dis- 
tinguishable by their manifest want of paint. Rents, too, are 
often unreasonably high. 

This subject demands a careful investigation. A young 
man is ordained and installed over a church and society. His 
salary is definitely fixed. He is unmarried, and has a right 
to remain so, for his people have not pledged themselves to 
support another. But should he prefer to enter the marriage 
state, himself and companion require comparatively but few 
rooms. If the gliding years add to the number of his house- 
hold, still, if he choose, he may live, I do not say comfortably, 
in close quarters, at a trifling expense. Such, however, is the 
relation of one church to many others, that parishes are ex- 
pected to be honorable in providing hospitality for certain 
public meetings which necessarily occur. Hence, the pastor's 
house must be quite commodious for the sake of the people, but 
not primarily on his own account. Now, who should meet the 
cost of these accommodations, which every religious society is 
expected to afford ? Shall the pastor be subject to one or two 
hundred dollars' rent, yearly, to save his parishioners the op- 
probrium of being considered parsimonious ? Why oughj not 
societies to provide for their own company at their own ex- 
pense ? Or, if they feel that he who has been appointed to 
watch for their souls, can wait upon visitors better than them- 
selves, they should not compel him to do it without means 
promptly and abundantly provided. 

Occasionally, after having been harassed to the utmost that 
health or patience can endure, a clergyman proceeds to -provide 
a shelter for himself. This he does at the risk of being routed 
from his field of labor, before his plan is executed. It seems 
to be thought, if the man of God is allowed to possess a home 
of his own, to expel him, when such a measure shall seem 



308 zion's pathway. 

desirable, will be too difficult. It has become a proverb, that 
when a pastor begins to build himself a house, he is soon to be 
driven off. With deep seriousness and solicitude for the wel- 
fare of Zion, we ask why are parishes so cruel to ministers of 
the gospel ? It sometimes seems as if all with whom a pastor 
trades, are in hot pursuit of his last shilling. Church mem- 
bers would do well to be a little more cautious how they allow 
themselves to treat their spiritual shepherds. The Lord will 
curse those who trample on his ambassadors. As they are 
received, so is he. Abuse heaped upon them he regards as 
done unto himself. As illustrative of the feeling on this sub- 
ject, which should ever characterize a people, I give an ex- 
tract of a letter, which I received some years ago from an 
aged widow : 

" It has been a time of trial here, to me and many others. 
We have feared that we should lose Mr. . But the sal- 
ary has been made out by subscription, and we expect he will 
remain with us another year. I never before had such a sense 
of the importance of having the gospel statedly in a place, as 
I have had of late. It appears to me that we do not make 
half sacrifice enough for the cause of God. I had rather deny 
myself of any earthly good, than to be deprived of public 
worship. I feel as if I had a great burden taken off my mind, 

for the thought of Mr. 's going away, and of our being 

left without the preached gospel, troubled me, and my eyes 
have been held waking ; but, blessed be God, he has not left 
us yet without witness that he has not wholly forsaken us." 

A parish is quite willing to conclude its minister is rich, 
though there are the most unquestionable proofs that he is 
poor. But suppose he is " well off;" it will do his people no 
hurt, but much good, to make him occasional presents. Kind- 
ness, expressed in tangible tokens, has a decidedly favorable 
influence on themselves as well as on him. The nature of the 
pastoral relation appears to be but poorly understood in this 



THE MINISTRY. 309 

day of distractions. Ministers are men, but their office is 
sacred, and to treat it with contempt is to incur most 
fearful guilt. How can revivals of religion be expected, 
while such narrowness of feeling and action as is now exhib- 
ited extensively towards pastors, is permitted to remain ? 
Mighty God, thou seest the people devoured by covetousness. 
He who has been set over a people as their chosen watch- 
man, does not stand to them in the relation of a hired man. 
If he were such before his installation, that transaction changed 
the nature of his connection with them. The union between 
a church and its pastor more nearly resembles that resulting 
from the marriage ceremony than any other connection. Set- 
tlement for life is the true method. What is gained by a fre- 
quent change of ministers ? Candidates should not seek hasty 
ordination, nor should religious societies tolerate such a prac- 
tice. Many a church has been all but ruined by casting off 
an able, faithful servant of Jesus, because he possessed not 
every possible excellence. 

A single Instance. 

Out of a multitude of cases, in which the evil of banishing a 
pastor has been incalculably great, if not utterly incurable, 
there will here be presented but one. It relates to an indi- 
vidual, whom more than twenty times twelve months ago, the 
writer was accustomed to hear preach with great solemnity, 
clearness, and fidelity. In the religious factions, resulting from 
those most pernicious measures introduced into the churches 
about the fifth of a century since, this servant of the Lord was 
driven from that field of toil, which he had occupied for quite 
an extended period of time, that his place might be supplied 
by some one who should either attract by his new manner, or 
rather who would fall in with the false notions then prevalent 
respecting revivals. More than a score of candidates having 



310 zion's pathway. 

been employed, a young man was settled. In less than a year 
he did not please the people so well as the former pastor had 
done, and he too was quickly set afloat. Then an elderly man, 
not perhaps quite so far advanced in life as the original minis- 
ter, and by no means equal in ability, was installed. By a 
sudden stroke of Divine Providence he soon passed away to 
his reward. Another preacher was called, who accepted the 
pastorship ; but constant broils rendered his stay so uncomfort- 
able, that after an unsuccessful effort to heal divisions he left. 
For years it seemed as if God had sent fiery serpents into 
that ungrateful church. That excellent above named shep- 
herd being banished by man from the fold given him by 
Christ, removed to a retired place, where his labors were 
much blessed. 

REVIVALS OF RELIGION. 

A revival of religion. This form of speech is employed to 
designate that happy period in a community, when the Spirit 
of God is so poured out that Christians are extensively awak- 
ened, and transgressors in goodly numbers are brought from 
the death of sin to a life of holiness. In discussing this topic, 
two points will receive special attention ; one of which has 
reference to the importance of revivals, and the other to their 
source. 

The Importance of Revivals. 

That every community needs the frequent special out-pour- 
ing of the Spirit, no reflecting disciple of Christ can doubt. 
Look at the state of a church which has not for a long time 
been thus favored. Both the shepherd and his flock are suffer- 
ing exceedingly. A painful degree of coldness characterizes 
all their sacred services. Those appointed to lead the sacra- 
mental host, are free to admit the impossibility of discharging 






REVIVALS OF RELIGION. 311 

satisfactorily to themselves the duties of their holy calling, 
when the Spirit has long been absent. At such times it is 
difficult to urge the mind to those high intellectual efforts, de- 
manded of the preacher. The world in a great measure takes 
possession of the believer's heart, and with an impetuous cur- 
rent sweeps it away. Members of the church, who once 
seemed the most devout, and whose faithfulness was a constant 
encouragement to the pastor, as also a uniform witness for 
Jesus, sink into a dreamy remissness. Already far removed 
from the cross, every week they recede still farther. Though 
they may not actually join with the revilers of truth, their in- 
difference to it betrays a most unworthy condition of heart. It 
becomes painfully evident that closets for secret meditation 
and prayer are affording but little if any relish. Social reli- 
gious meetings are wholly deserted, or attended by only here 
and there one. Even the services of the sanctuary are fre- 
quented more as a matter of ceremony, than as precious inter- 
views with Heaven. Saints may be seen joining with sinners 
in amusements neither dignified nor profitable. Or if held in 
check by a general opinion, they may be heard anxiously in- 
quiring, why they cannot be permitted to enjoy themselves in 
those pastimes which they ought to know have been for cen- 
turies consecrated to the devil. Those spotless robes wrought 
by Immanuel, for the beautifying of his beloved, are neglected 
by those expecting soon to wear them, while these same heed- 
less professors are eager for the gaudy, unbecoming plumage 
of earth. In seasons of religious declension, there is a vast 
deal of running on the part of Christ's nominal disciples, 
which does not look towards the attainment of the celestial 
prize ; and there are profuse expenditures, not, however, for 
the procuring of the precious spikenard, wherewith to perfume 
the person of Jesus. No lavishments seem too great for the 
flesh, while the spirit is constantly exclaiming, " My leanness, 
my leanness." In no respect is the Redeemer loved by these 



312 zion's pathway. 

heartless communicants with the strength of affection, his due, 
or feared as the greatness of his wrath demands. Many who 
once had affirmed their willingness to die with him, now, in 
actions, if not by words, avow their ignorance of him, yet 
they do not weep bitterly when reminded ©f their aggravated 
guilt. They do indeed go out from the presence of their re- 
prover, but it is not for the purpose of mourning, but of mur- 
muring. Doctrines more precious than gold in the estimation 
of the humble disciple, are made subjects of cavil by luke- 
warm professors ; and duties, transcending in importance all 
mere earthly obligations, as much as eternity outweighs time, 
are set aside by the most trivial concernments of the flesh. 
Ah, fearful is the catalogue of omissions, and of commissions, 
chargeable in these gloomy seasons to the account of church 
members. " While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered 
and slept." We read in the Scriptures of a class who covered 
the altar of God with tears, yet were not accepted because of 
their formality and hypocrisy. Sad, truly, is the spiritual state 
of that people, whom the Lord repels from his own required 
ordinances. " Bring no more vain oblations ; incense is an 
abomination unto me ; the new moons and Sabbaths, the call- 
ing of assemblies I cannot away with ; it is iniquity, even the 
solemn meeting." As in the days of Moses, so now the nomi- 
nal servants of Jehovah make and worship a god of gold. 
Amid the awfulness of a spiritual dearth, the Lord appeals to 
his erring people in such terms as these : " A son honoreth 
his father, and a servant his master ; if then I be a father, 
where is mine honor? and if I be a master, where is my fear ? " 
" O my people, what have I done unto thee, and wherein 
have I wearied thee ? " Jeremiah's lament over the church 
in his day, is strikingly applicable to every religious commu- 
nity which has not enjoyed a revival for a series of years. 
" The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the 
solemn feasts ; all her gates are desolate, her priests sigh, her 



REVIVALS OF RELIGION. 313 

virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness." How impres- 
sive the figure — every particle of dust in the path leading to 
the house of God in mourning ; each paving-stone covered 
with sadness ! 

Contemplate now the condition of the impenitent in a place 
long deserted by the marked manifestations of the Spirit. 
Accessions are indeed made to the visible fold of Christ when 
there are not extensive awakenings among sinners, and we 
believe that the King of Zion is able to subdue the world to 
himself by a gradual process. It ought to be expected that 
means divinely appointed would always be attended by an 
encouraging degree of success. Each Sabbath should witness 
instances of conviction and conversion wherever the gospel is 
preached. " Is not my word like as a fire, saith the Lord, 
and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces ? " 
Both the pastor and his people lack faith, if they do not confi- 
dently expect great good to be accomplished on every return- 
ing Lord's day, as the direct result of privileges then afforded. 
What right has a minister of Christ to conclude beforehand, 
that the result of his efforts on a particular occasion must be 
nothing? God is able to bless at all times. Why should we 
affirm that he will not do it immediately ? Truth is the same 
from week to week. How do we know that divine promises 
are not on the eve of an accomplishment, just at the hour 
when human foresight perceives naught but a want of success? 
" For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, 
and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it 
bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and 
bread to the eater ; so shall my word be that goeth forth out of 
my mouth ; it shall not return unto me void, but it shall ac- 
complish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing 
whereto I sent it." Isa. 55 : 10, 11. Ministers of the gospel, 
like Thomas, need to hear and regard the injunction of Christ: 
" Be not faithless, but believing." John 20 :. 27* Alas, it is 
27 



314 zion's pathway. 

so uncommon to anticipate marked results from the ordinary- 
performance of sacred duties, that, should a sinner be struck 
down by an arrow from the Lord, when no revival exists, the 
event would amaze even the preacher, under whose ministra- 
tions the case might occur. 

It is a fact, that the majority of those numbered, from time 
to time, with the servants of Christ, are hopefully renewed in 
seasons of special interest, and it seems to be God's economy 
to enlarge Zion chiefly by revivals. Only when these power- 
ful displays of the Spirit are witnessed, are we constrained 
with joyful surprise to inquire, " Who are these that fly as a 
cloud and as the doves to their windows?" When righteous- 
ness is rained upon a community, a few weeks suffice for the 
return of many prodigals to their Father's house. When the 
Spirit of the Lord pervades an extended community, hundreds 
are excited to hear the gospel who had wholly neglected it ; and 
what must become of such a class, if no marvellous manifesta- 
tions of the Holy Ghost are made in the region where these 
hide themselves ? Behold the aged sinner. Is not his case 
entirely hopeless, if a revival do not encompass him ? Nearly 
has he reached the termination of his earthly career; the 
lamp of life has almost expired, and before him is naught but 
darkness eternal. When our thoughts turn to him, we are 
reminded of that solemn passage of Scripture, " Can the Ethi- 
opian change his skin or the leopard his spots ? Then may 
ye also do good that are accustomed to evil." Yet there is 
ability in God the Spirit to subdue the most obdurate and to 
humble the proudest, and, in revivals, there frequently are 
monuments of mercy selected from those who have grown old 
in trangression. We must set no limits to the power or the 
purpose of sovereign grace. 

So engrossed in worldly cares are the middle-aged, that 
the Spirit must fall mightily upon them, or their souls 
will remain enslaved to the flesh and the devil. Hardly a 



REVIVALS OF RELIGION. 315 

gleam of hope lights upon their case, except as we think of 
the all-conquering influences displayed in revivals of religion. 
In what community can the condition of unconverted youth 
fail to excite the most fearful apprehensions in the minds of 
Christians ? Generally, the unregenerate who are now in the 
morning of their earthly existence, appear to he intent upon 
going to perdition. Every expedient possible is contrived by 
them to hasten themselves onward to hell. They seem to 
desire to be as sure of being damned as they are of dying. 
How rapidly is this class departing from time ! Short, verily, 
is their career in the giddy scenes of dissipation. Not a few 
pass from the ball-room to the bed of death, and thence, who 
can doubt, into everlasting burnings ? Scarcely less appalling 
is the moral aspect of the little children who are at present 
coming upon the stage of life. It is only as a very rare in- 
stance that one is under suitable parental restraint. Profane- 
ness is a common sin with the young in nearly all places ; nor 
do less awful habits, of other kinds, stain their juvenile per- 
sons. Surely, if the Lord do not soon pour out his spirit and 
turn the hearts of parents to their children, we may reasona- 
bly infer that he is intending to curse the earth with one of the 
most violent generations that have ever trodden upon its soil 
or polluted its air. With what intense solicitude should the 
mother look upon her little ones, and contemplate their future 
destiny ! O, should they be left to spend their probationary 
course where no revivals of religion arrest the progress of 
sinners, these now apparently harmless lambs will become 
giants in transgression. There are many other considerations, 
beside those already presented, which show a need of the out- 
pourings of the Holy Spirit. Let these precious seasons no 
more bless the world, and whence will come heralds of the 
cross to preach in this and foreign lands ? Even now the walls 
of Zion, in its most favored sections, are not well supplied with 
faithful watchmen. It was on the memorable pentecostal 



316 zion's pathway. 

season that the church received its first mighty impulse after 
the opening of the new dispensation. Such scenes as that, 
not in its miraculous characteristics, but in its blessed effects 
upon the hearts and lives of thousands, must gladden the saints, 
or moral desolation will settle upon all the future prospects of 
God's Israel on earth. 



The Source of Revivals. 

Every good is from God ; and those rich displays of grace, 
denominated revivals of religion, are the greatest benefaction 
which he now can bestow upon mankind. The sending of his 
own Son to die for sinners was an unspeakable gift. Also the 
communicating of his will to his rational creatures in that vol- 
ume designated the Bible, was a blessing greater than the in- 
tellect of mortals can fully estimate ; but these celestial boons, 
having been provided, what can we so much need beside, as 
the descent of the Spirit in showers, which renew, beautify and 
sanctify the souls of transgressors ? 

1. God can grant a revival whenever his wisdom judges 
best. There is no limit to his ability in this respect more than 
in any other. Perfectly independent, and ever doing accord- 
ing to his will in all the vastness of his empire, he can show 
his sovereignty just as he pleases in converting the unfertile 
moral waste into a fruitful field ; or, in leaving it as a desert, 
where grows no green thing. This power of God the Al- 
mighty to perform wonders of mercy, seems ever to have been 
recognized by his servants. It was anciently their joy when 
dreariness reigned all around them, to feel that help could come 
from the everlasting hills. We behold them lifting their weep- 
ing eyes, and hear them raising their imploring petitions to the 
Lord of salvation, as the only resort from present calamities 
occasioned by sin, and from those impending judgments which 
ever are threatening a guilty backslidden people. Whoever 



REVIVALS OF RELIGION. 317 

carefully reviews the Old Testament pages, will find numerous 
instances in which Jehovah did revive his own work in the 
midst of the ancient years, and that he often made known his 
glorious saving power when his saints were fearing and dep- 
recating his wrath. The New Testament presents before us, 
on its first leaves, the record of a most wonderful revival. 
Scarcely had the harbinger of Jesus gone out to preach, be- 
fore the Spirit, attending his ministrations, brought thousands 
to renounce their sins and commence a new life. Who has 
not perused with intense interest the history of a series of re- 
freshing seasons described in the Acts of the Apostles ? As 
we trace the history of the church for some hundreds of years, 
ending with times but little earlier than our own, we find that 
many periods of great awakening have been enjoyed. How 
numerous were the turnings to the Lord in the days of Luther 
and his associates. The years of Owen, Bunyan and Baxter, 
were also signalized in the same way. Some parts of the 
British Isles have been wonderfully distinguished by the man- 
ifestations of God's mercy in the outpouring of his Spirit. 
New England was early made hallowed ground by influences 
from above. As one settlement after another was formed, the 
inquiry of the people soon began to be, not how shall we go 
back to the country whence we came, but in what way shall 
we get to heaven ? It was then a great question with individu- 
als, Have I true grace wrought in my heart ? Is Jesus formed 
in me, the hope of glory ? A little before the middle of the 
last century, an era of great interest commenced in the history 
of revivals. Perhaps not less distinguished was the closing 
part of the same century. Some twenty years since, the 
United States were the scene of an extraordinary religious 
movement. It was thought that fifty thousands became hope- 
fully heirs of heaven, in the course of six, months. But our 
reflections upon that period are sad rather than otherwise, be- 
cause, in connection with the work of God, man allowed him- 
27* 



318 zion's pathway. 






self to introduce measures professedly to promote godliness, 
which have greatly marred the peace of the church ever since. 
2. None but God can grant a revival. Zion's thirsty hills 
must remain as they are, if Jehovah do not gather over them 
the clouds of his mercy and pour upon them the rain of his 
grace. As already intimated, every ray of spiritual illumina- 
tion is from Him, and darts forth only at his bidding. He, 
who commanded the light to shine upon the darkness of chaos, 
must cause the beams of righteousness to descend upon souls 
benighted, or they will never enjoy the presence of the Holy 
Ghost. To revive religion is not a human work. As surely 
as it requires the power of Omnipotence to bring back again 
to life those in whom the vital spark has become extinct, so, to 
make men new creatures in Christ Jesus, and to quicken the 
graces that languish, can be done only by the Almighty. It is 
a work as really beyond the ability of man as is the creation 
of a world. To trust in any thing short of Omnipotence for a 
new heart, is the climax of presumption. In this respect, 
" the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughti- 
ness of men shall be made low, and the Lord alone shall be 
exalted." The church cannot be afflicted with a greater here- 
sy, than would be the rejection of the doctrine, that to revive 
pure and undefiled religion, is wholly the work of God. A 
deep, abiding sense of dependence upon sovereign grace, for 
saving help in the conversion of the soul to holiness, is a 
necessary prerequisite to a revival. The opposite sentiment 
may be attended by fanatical exhibitions, and the multiplying 
of spurious converts. It is a historical fact, worthy of remem- 
brance, that those who have instru mentally accomplished the 
greatest good in the kingdom of Christ, were persons pervaded 
by a sense of their entire dependence on divine sovereignty. 
I desire to proclaim with all the energy of which I am capa- 
ble, that excitements on the subject of religion, occasioned by 
the arts of men, are not approved by God, but are the fruits 



REVIVALS OF RELIGION. 319 

of unsanctified zeal, and, more than probable, of a hypocriti- 
cal ambition. In the name of the Triune God, I will protest 
against the employing of human devices ; yea, of any means, 
which do not flow naturally out of the command to preach the 
gospel to every creature. My prayers shall ascend to the 
King of Zion, that he will hereafter keep back his servants 
from those presumptuous measures, which have brought into 
the church troubles which we feel and deplore, but know not 
how to remove. God of our fathers, bring us to the footstool 
of thy sovereignty, and there enable us, individually, with 
profound submission and faith to affirm, " I will lift up mine 
eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help 
cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth." Jeho- 
vah of hosts, grant us perpetual deliverance from that man- 
worship, which has disgraced thy people and dishonored thee. 
3. In reviving his work, God makes use of means. He is 
not dependent upon them, but they are an important part in his 
economy. The methods by which sinners are brought to him, 
are truly diversified, because he thus decides. Man's heart 
is always naked and open unto the Lord. The Spirit descend- 
ing from above may fall upon it directly, and the rebel at once 
be prostrate in the dust, crying for mercy. Such in substance 
was the fact with the Tarsian persecutor, and the Philippian 
jailor. Conviction for sin is not a necessary result of certain 
preceding efforts to instruct the mind. Some hear the truth 
for half a century, and yet remain insensible of their guilt. 
Without limiting in any way the sovereignty of the Spirit in 
his work of convicting and renewing men, it is still important 
for us to bear in mind, that the moral government of God 
employs human agency and instrumentality. Destitute in 
themselves of saving efficacy, means are essential, because or- 
dained by the Lord of salvation. Every genuine revival 
illustrates the necessity of means, and at the same time the 
sovereignty of divine grace. The word of truth must be 



320 zion's pathway. 

spoken, heard, and obeyed. Showers which refresh the earth 
may descend alike upon the cultivated field and the unfertile 
desert, upon the region in which no man dwells as freely as 
upon the populous town. It is not so with the outpourings of 
grace, for these fall only upon cultivated portions of the earth. 
Clouds of mercy hover over the sanctuary. " We do not 
trust, but tempt God, if, when we pray to him for help, we do 
not second our prayers by our endeavors." A people that will 
not hallow the Sabbath, cannot reasonably expect displays of 
saving grace. Communities in which divine institutions are 
neglected, ought to fear, lest they be given up to all manner of 
wickedness. Visits of the Holy Spirit are made where the 
instructions of the Bible are printed and preached, read and 
remembered ; the truths of this holy book are usually, if not 
always, the harbinger of the renewing Agent. It is highly 
presumptuous and offensive to God to expect a revival with- 
out a diligent use of his appointed means. To affirm that we 
desire a season of refreshing when we are slothful in the dis- 
charge of duty, is to say and to deny what is said at the same 
time. The Most High connects with revivals, fidelity in the 
closet, strict attention to the duties of family religion, unwea- 
riedness in social prayer, and uniformity in appearing before 
him in his courts. He requires a putting away of all obsta- 
cles ; a banishment of undue attachments to the things of time. 
It is recorded as a fact, in respect to a region in which revivals 
were prevailing, that " where the demon of political strife 
gained ascendency among a people, the sanctifying influences 
of the Holy Spirit either did not come, or did not abide." By 
the same authority it is likewise affirmed, that "no form of 
controversy, during that period of revivals, was so fraught with 
deadly mischief to the cause of religion as the clashing of rival 
Christian sects." Divided and distracted churches, of course, 
do not enjoy divine refreshings. Covetousness repels the 



REVIVALS OF RELIGION. 321 

Spirit ; certain kinds of preaching are not accompanied by 
special influences from on high. We never hear that those 
discourses in which Christ's supreme divinity is opposed, or 
those in which the doctrine of future endless punishment is 
discarded, are attended with drops of saving mercy. The state 
of things demanded, in order that the Holy Ghost may display 
his mighty power in quickening saints, and in renovating sin- 
ners, is exhibited clearly in the Scriptures. " Let all bitter- 
ness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be 
put away from you, with all malice, and be ye kind one to 
another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God 
for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Eph. 4 : 31, 32. " Bring 
ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat 
in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of 
hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour 
you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to 
receive it." 

Let the friends of the Redeemer, who mourn because of the 
absence of reviving influences, inquire wherein they have 
grieved the Spirit ; and humble themselves for all their depar- 
tures from duty. The Holy Ghost must be entreated to re- 
turn, and visit the vineyard which God's right hand hath 
planted. Earnest persevering supplications for a revival can- 
not be in vain ; the blessing will descend. " They that sow 
in tears, shall reap in joy." Send up the importunate prayer 
recorded by inspiration, ye whose hearts bleed for the church : 
" Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph 
like a flock ; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine 
forth." How immeasurable is thy mercy, God of Zion ! Pity 
thou hast in a boundless store for thy sorrowing saints, and 
grace infinite with which to bring trophies into thy king- 
dom. 



322 zion's pathway. 



Christ's last command. 

The Son of God, having so far completed the work for 
which he was manifested in the flesh, that heaven, not earth, 
must thenceforward be the scene of his personal presence, made 
preparation to leave time. With his apostles, he went out to 
Bethany ; where, while in the act of blessing them, " he was 
parted from them and carried up into heaven." Subsequent 
to his resurrection and near the event of his ascension, he 
gave them the following definite commission : " Go ye into all 
the world and preach the gospel to every creature." This has 
been designated the Redeemer's last command. If it were not 
so in the order of events, its magnitude justly entitles it to 
preeminence. We have not here words of mere permission or 
persuasion ; they possess the highest authority. According to 
one evangelist, they were prefaced by the declaration, " All 
power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." This charge 
to preach the gospel to mankind every where, came from the 
King of Zion, whose greatness could in no way be increased. 
He had an absolute right to direct thus, and the subjects of 
his mandate were shut up to obedience, or to a forfeiture of 
their Lord's approbation. What reception did they give it ? A 
trust more weighty was never committed to man. Difficulties, 
yea, apparent impossibilities, were obstructing the way of 
carrying out the command, and naught but faith in the promise, 
" Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world," 
could adequately sustain them in the attempt. They received 
the commission, and entered, in due time, upon its accom- 
plishment. If the most comprehensive import of the order 
were not fully executed, it was because of hindrances which 
human agency could not remove, and the divine did not. No 
good reason exists for limiting, in the least, the expression, 
" all the world." Let it be taken in its most unrestricted signi- 



Christ's last command. 323 

fication. Special religious privileges had been confined to the 
nation of Israel ; such was no longer to be the case ; Jews 
and Gentiles were to become one in privilege under the new 
dispensation. When the apostles and elders were, at first, 
sent forth on short preaching excursions, they were prohibited 
by their Master from going beyond the boundary of the elect 
nation. To just what extent the inhabitants of the earth 
actually heard the gospel, from the first promulgers, we have 
not definite information ; for it does not certainly follow, 
that every section of the inhabited globe was reached by the 
apostles. No people was to be passed by ; all were to be 
visited and instructed in the gospel, if the end could be accom- 
plished. Christ knew whether any people then dwelt on this 
continent, or on the islands of the most distant oceans. He too 
was acquainted with every mode of conveyance by land or by 
sea. Perhaps some parts of the world now populous, were at 
that time wholly unsettled. But if the human family were then 
as widely dispersed as in the present century, and the apostles 
failed to visit every country, it was because of natural impos- 
sibilities. They sought to execute fully the Lord's injunction, 
undaunted by dangers. Home, friends, and country, were 
abandoned by them, without regard to inconveniences. Idol- 
atry was cursing the world, when in the name of Zion's Ruler 
these unassuming preachers went abroad, denouncing heathen- 
ism, and publishing salvation through the once crucified but 
arisen and ascended Jesus. Never before did men attempt so 
much ; yet there was no fanaticism in their enterprise. Filled 
with the Holy Spirit, and guarded by the invisible presence of 
the Almighty Mediator, with no weapons except divine truth, 
and no armor but faith in God, they attacked the castles of sin 
and demanded surrender. With amazing boldness they entered 
the temples of superstition, confuted the hierarchies of old 
establishments, and demolished the strange systems of debas- 
ing devil-worship. The instruments of their warfare were not 



324 zion's pathway. 

carnal, " but mighty through God, to the pulling down of 
strong holds." Within thirty years after the Redeemer's 
return to heaven, the gospel had triumphed extensively ; 
having spread over Judea, Galilee, Samaria and Asia Minor, 
" through Greece and the Islands of the iEgean Sea." It had 
gone successfully along " the sea-coast of Africa, and had 
passed on to the capital of Italy." The New Testament record 
closes without fully informing us how near the apostles came 
to a literal accomplishment of their commission ; yet the last 
glimpses of their operations shown us by its pages, leave them 
zealously prosecuting their labors. "All ecclesiastical and 
profane history concurs in describing the rapid progress of the 
new doctrine." Persons of every rank and situation were 
numbered among the followers of Immanuel ; heathen temples 
were deserted, and pagan altars left without sacrifices. We 
may judge something of what the apostles accomplished, by 
the state of things in the centuries immediately subsequent to 
their age ; and we are informed that Christianity filled " the 
cities, islands, towns, boroughs, the camp, the senate, and the 
forum." As the Scriptures do not definitely inform us respect- 
ing the remotest nations, we are unable to decide for certainty 
whether the apostles themselves, or those whom they com- 
missioned, went to the extreme east of Asia, to the parts of 
Europe most remote from Palestine, and to the farthest regions 
of Africa. It would doubtless excite derision to suggest, that 
an inspired apostle ever set his foot upon this continent, and 
such a supposition is not probable, yet can it be shown that an 
event of the kind was impossible ? Modern missions have en- 
larged somewhat our idea of the actual extent of territory 
travelled by the apostles. In some countries new evidence 
has been brought to light, showing that those whom Christ 
addressed, when he said " Go ye into all the world and preach 
the gospel to every creature," strove most diligently and with 



Christ's last command. 325 

preeminent success to plant the standard of the cross among 
every section of our race. 

" He spake, and. light shone round his head ; 
On a bright cloud to heaven he rode ; 
They to the farthest nations spread 
The grace of their ascended God." 

Here the question arises, whether the Saviour's last com- 
mand was binding on any excepting those, to whom it was 
originally given. What inference is to be drawn from the 
nature of the gospel ? The angel declared to the shepherds 
of Bethlehem, that it is " good tidings of great joy, which shall 
be to all people." It was foretold of the Messiah, that in him 
the nations of the earth should be blessed ; yet this becomes a 
fact only so far as they possess the gospel. Evidently the 
system of revealed religion contained in the Scriptures, is de- 
manded by the necessities of human beings, in every variety 
of -their condition. In that system is an antidote for the evils 
of earth, and aside from it there is none. Does the family of 
man require relief? Surely, for it is fearfully burdened. 
Shall not the needy be visited by that which alone can save 
them from their present degradation, and perpetual ruin in the 
future state ? Has reason any other decision ? Is it not her 
dictate, that the demands of humanity, provided for in the 
gospel and not elsewhere, should be met ? 

Did the apostles suppose that the order of their Master was 
applicable only to themselves ? No ; for they ordained and 
sent out many, converted through their efforts. To the utmost 
of their ability they provided preachers, who should help them, 
and take their place, so far as possible, after their death. In 
some respects the apostles could have none to succeed them. 
Their office was peculiar in many points. In their character 
as ministers of Christ, all divinely appointed to preach are 
their successors ; the mantles of the former have descended 
from age to age upon the latter, or, to utter language which is 
28 



326 zion's pathway. 

equally true and less figurative, whoever in any period or 
part of the world, has rightfully heralded salvation, has been 
as truly called to the office as were the eleven disciples who 
saw the ascension of Jesus. But as men infallibly inspired to 
write the history of the Redeemer's life, sufferings and death ; 
as individuals appointed to discuss doctrines, and establish 
rules for the regulation of the saints in all time subsequent to 
their own, the apostles were a distinct order, which ceased 
entirely when those, who first enjoyed its prerogatives, were 
called into eternity. The apostolic office was limited to a short 
period ; that of preachers and pastors extends to the end of 
time. 

Look now at the course pursued by the successors of the 
apostles. Were they not zealous in propagating the gospel ? 
Ecclesiastical history leaves no room for doubt. Take another 
view of this subject. Can any rational, accountable creature, 
who has himself been made an heir of heaven, by this divine 
economy, not be desirous, that all should be savingly benefited 
by it ? Having once experienced the efficacy of God's grace, 
can he fail to seek the holy boon for others ? Does not the 
Spirit create in the heart, feelings of universal good will ? Is 
there aught of selfishness encouraged or permitted by the Son 
of God ? Does not he falsify his profession, who claims fellow- 
ship with Christ, yet manifests no compasssion for man ? 

We cannot, if disposed, resist the conclusion that those pos- 
sessing the truth as it is in Jesus, are obligated to furnish it to 
the destitute. Thus reason directs and conscience prompts; 
thus, too, does the authority of the Head of all things command. 
His people are essentially one, whether they be prophets or 
pastors, apostles, or evangelists, public ambassadors or private 
believers. To those of this age, who dwell amid the light and 
peace procured by the gospel, the ascended Saviour now 
speaks, as he did to the eleven. His teaching must be pro- 
claimed every where. Affecting is the fact, but real, that now 



Christ's last command. 327 

missionaries are needed in the very country where the Lord 
of glory prayed and preached ; nor is it less a duty for be- 
lievers of this age to announce to the benighted there, life 
eternal through him, who died on Calvary, than it was for the 
first preachers to depart thence to the ends of the earth. The 
rule must be that the supplied furnish the destitute, however 
ill-deserving. God may, in righteous retribution, leave a 
people, who have rejected his mercy as presented in the 
Bible ; yet his children must give up none to their folly, so 
long as the direction to teach all, is not revoked in respect to 
any. Man's perseverance in efforts to save his fellow-beings, 
should be checked or retarded only by the plainest indications 
of Providence. 

On those now in possession of that infinite good, the 
system of religion given by Jeho\;ah, devolves the duty of 
making it known to every nation and family at present 
destitute of its blessings. Yea, and theirs likewise is the 
privilege. Who should aspire to a more honorable service ? 
Champions of the cross are engaged in an enterprise precious 
in the sight of Omniscience. They go forth under the banner 
of the Lord of hosts ; their labors cannot be lost, for the Highest 
insures success. " The wilderness and the solitary place shall 
be glad for them ; and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as 
the rose." It should be regarded as eminently a happy char- 
acteristic of an age, that in it much is done for the evangeliza- 
tion of the world. To live amid numerous well directed 
schemes for the good of man, should be deemed a favor ; and 
not to be a co-worker with the benevolent, may justly incur 
their reproach. He deserves not the name of philanthropist, 
much less of Christian, who does not aid cheerfully and 
liberally in spreading the gospel. 



328 zion's pathway. 



CHRISTIAN BENEVOLENCE. 



Some of its Characteristics. 

The term benevolence, primarily signifies well wishing, 
good feeling ; but in a technical sense now much used, it im- 
plies beneficence. Benevolent persons not only desire the 
happiness of their fellow-creatures ; they likewise seek it, by 
the conferment of favors, as ability permits. Real benevolence 
has its seat in the heart, and thence goes forth as a stream from 
its fountain, to cheer and bless. Individuals characterized by 
this virtue, feel for all, and render assistance as they have the 
means. The poor may be as truly benevolent as the wealthy, 
though the latter can more extensively assist the needy. Such 
as are destitute of money, may manifest mercy. There should 
be the pitying eye in those by whom the replenishing purse 
is not possessed. Sympathy at times is more needed than 
are gifts of gold. God requires us to be benevolent, and 
furnishes, in his providential arrangements, occasions for a 
display of this excellence. Definite sums are not prescribed 
by the great Lawgiver. Christ's disciples are left to assess 
themselves. Of some it may be said, that if they give any 
thing, they part with their all. The widow's "two mites," 
constituted her " living." Mere giving to objects of charity, 
does not prove one genuinely liberal. " Let no man do alms 
of that which is not his own," for in so doing he would " make 
himself a thief, and the poor to be receivers " of his unjust be- 
stowment. The law of love does not require that every call 
should be answered ; since thousands beg for a livelihood 
when they might earn it by honest industry. "A well-digested 
charity will be considerate in the selection of its subjects." 
One of the wise maxims relative to this point, is, " Give no 
alms to vicious persons, if such alms will support their vices." 



CHRISTIAN BENEVOLENCE. 329 

It has been intimated that the truly benevolent bestow, 
according to their means, and are not regulated by the enact- 
ments of parsimony. Their offerings are free-will, not extorted. 
They regard themselves as stewards, amid the fields, and flocks 
and merchandise of Him, whose is the earth, and the fulness 
thereof. Having deposited their gifts, they do not feel as if 
they had laid the heavens under obligation to them, but have 
simply performed an obvious, indispensable duty. They be- 
lieve that to be selfish in such a world as this, " is one of the 
greatest triumphs of sin ; " and that " covetousness cannot 
move in i(, without being rebuked at every step." The highest 
degree of benevolent action is accompanied with fervent sup- 
plications, that the recipient may share in the condescending 
kindness and forgiving love of God. M Charity is one of the 
wings of prayer, by which it flies to the throne of grace." 

Another characteristic of the truly benevolent person, is a 
readiness to practise self-denial for the good of humanity. 
This trait is supposed to be not congenial to the minds of all 
who would be deemed generous. What, must I incommode 
myself to aid another ? Yes, verily, there are occasions in 
which it must be done, or the stamp of selfishness supreme, 
be borne by thee. Thou art not indeed to love another better 
than thyself; this is not implied in the parting with luxuries or 
even some conveniences, to save a fellow-creature from death 
or degradation. By what laws of time or eternity, mayst thou 
continue to bask in uninterrupted sunshine, while a neighbor 
gropes in utter darkness, and it is in thy power to grant him 
some light, by a little lessening of thine own ? It is a mistake 
to infer that all the birds were made to sing for our ears alone ; 
that the skies are clear or veiled simply for our sakes. Of 
one blood were all the nations of the earth ; and the more 
favored classes are constituted, by the King of all, almoners of 
his bounties to the less favored. See the Lord of glory de- 
scending from his lofty throne, self-disrobed for the sake of a 
28* 



330 zion's pathway. 

perishing race. Rich he was, and poor he became, that mul- 
titudes through his poverty might be enriched. Mark, too, the 
illustrious example of those who, at the call of this wonderful 
pattern, forsook all for the kind enterprise in which he was 
engaged. It is indeed a law of the gospel kingdom, that in 
order to be a follower of Jesus, self must be denied, and a 
cross daily borne : " Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh 
not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple." When the Son 
of God had returned from his humiliation to the honors of the 
upper world, his servants went forth, subjecting themselves to 
perils severe, numerous and constant. They showed their 
right to be regarded the representatives of him, who had not 
where to lay his head, by actually exhibiting his penury in 
their own persons. Primitive Christians also, as a variety of 
testimony makes certain, in which are included numerous mar- 
tyrdoms, proved that they understood practically the theory 
of self-denial. Said one of them, " we are commanded to pray 
for our daily bread ; not for riches and delicacies ; not for 
splendid garments and golden ornaments ; not for silken car- 
pets and great possessions, but for bread." An eminent 
modern writer has observed, that " in the early age of the 
Christian church, the heavenly art of embalming property and 
making it immortal, was not only known, but practised." A 
title now to a place in the gospel kingdom, is the same as in 
former ages. 

Genuine benevolence, not merely entertains kindly those 
seeking benefactions ; it searches out the abodes of sorrow, 
the regions of darkness, the families that are perishing, and 
the nations that know not God. On wings of love, in imita- 
tion of him who died for sinners, do the benevolent fly to all 
the habitations of men, to which access is opened, and scatter 
blessings upon each. Charity is never blind, never deaf, never 
palsied. 

Perhaps it is worthy of an inquiry, whether one may not 



CHRISTIAN BENEVOLENCE. 331 

go beyond proper limits, in diffusing abroad the means at his 
command. Obviously the danger lies not generally in that 
direction. Should, however, an extreme now and then occur, 
the error, if it be so termed, is sustained by Bible precedence. 
The following from a writer, already quoted, is here in point. 
" When Christ is the object to be honored, the affection of the 
pardoned penitent cannot stop to calculate the value of its ala- 
baster box of precious ointment ; that is an act to which only 
a Judas can stoop ; its chief and sole regret, is, that the unction 
has not a richer perfume, and a higher value." What may be 
withheld from him, who gave himself to die for sinners ? His 
sacrifice was the greatest possible; shall man's be nearly 
nothing: ? 



x t 



The Reward of this Benevolence. 

Whoever bestows in charity from right motives, and as he 
has the ability, is rewarded in his own soul. The Creator has 
so constituted us, that the proper exercise of benevolent feel- 
ings shall be mentally and immediately compensated. Good 
done to others is accompanied with pleasurable emotions. 
Recall the day which was passed in efforts to help the destitute, 
or to cheer the desponding ; was not the sleep of its night 
pleasant to thee ? Does not conscience always approve of 
kindness ? And is not its sanction a source of pleasure ? Who 
can greatly discompose the spirit soothed by its smiles ? 

Temporal prosperity is attendant upon a well conducted 
generosity. " Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with 
the first fruits of all thine increase ; so shall thy barns be filled 
with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine." 
Careful observation will confirm the above statement. Indeed^ 
a slight acquaintance with society is sufficient to evince the 
fact, that those communities which deal bountifully, are fur- 
nished richly with earthly good. " The most marked interpo- 



332 zion's pathway. 

sitions and signal blessings, even earthly prosperity, have 
attended the practice of Christian liberality in every age." 
Real charity is " like the effusion of oil by the Sidonian woman ; 
as long as she pours into empty vessels, it can never cease 
running ; or, like the widow's barrel, it consumes not as long 
as she feeds the prophet." Compare the pecuniary condition 
of places where an enlightened generosity prevails with those 
known as parsimonious, and the result will always be in favor 
of the former. " Since the people began to bring the offerings 
into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat and 
have left plenty, for the Lord hath blessed his people." 
2 Chron. 31 : 10. God frowns upon an unfeeling, selfish man 
or community. " Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the 
poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard." Prov. 
21 : 13. Should it be objected, that some distinguished for 
bountifulness in the distribution of the world's treasures in 
their hands, have themselves come to want, the reply may be 
appropriately made, that all who give are not actuated by a 
right spirit ; there is an opportunity for the workings of an un- 
hallowed ambition ; one may bestow alms to be seen of men. 
" He that gives alms must do it with a single eye and heart." 
We know it is not impossible, that while outwardly there is the 
appearance of genuine philanthropy, the Searcher of hearts 
may see in various respects marked dishonesty. Furthermore, 
the general law, relative to the attendance of temporal pros- 
perity on generosity, may have real exceptions, just as do 
nearly all laws. Jehovah is uniformly just and merciful, but 
his wisdom sometimes withholds what we should regard as 
temporal favors, when they might be naturally expected. 

Far richer than all earthly good, granted by God to the 
generous giver, are the conferments of his spiritual favors ; 
these flow in copious streams upon the benevolent. Those water- 
ing, are themselves watered. Giving for the glory of the Lord 
is sowing to the Spirit, and that holy Agent guarantees a gra- 



CHRISTIAN BENEVOLENCE. 333 

cious ingathering, for " he which soweth bountifully shall reap 
also bountifully." Nothing is a surer precursor of spiritual 
desolation to a church than a neglect of benevolent enterprises. 
A community nominally Christian, that will not aid in convert- 
ing the heathen, is taking the direct course to become a moral 
waste. No religious society can afford to dismiss contribution 
boxes. These little treasures must be preserved for the sake 
of their reflex influence. While we find passages of Scrip- 
ture asserting, some a temporal, and others a spiritual reward 
to the munificent, there is in another class a delightful union of 
the two. " Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house, that 
there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now here- 
with, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the win- 
dow of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall 
not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the de- 
vourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of 
your ground, neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the 
time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. And all nations 
shall call you blessed, for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith 
the Lord of hosts." Those exercising benevolence as they 
are required, may entertain cheerful anticipations of eternity, 
for the Judge encourages them to do it. " When thou makest 
a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind ; and 
thou shalt be blessed, for they cannot recompense thee ; for 
thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." 
Property devoted to the interests of mankind is treasure well 
invested for the endless future. Not even a cup of cold water 
presented to one with pure motives shall be unrewarded. "In- 
asmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my 
brethren, ye have done it unto me," embraces a principle 
which will be recognized in the decisions of the last day. But 
let it be added, that if, in view of the certain and rich remu- 
neration promised to the benevolent, any should propose to 
secure temporal and spiritual favors by a selfish distribution of 



334 zion's pathway. 






gifts ; it would be well for them to consider, that their gene- 
rosity is divested of a happy reflex influence, by the unhal- 
lowedness of its main motive. In order to secure good by 
giving, God's honor must be regarded in the bestowment. 

Ways for tlie Exercise of it. 

With some of the characteristics of true benevolence, and 
the certainty that its exercise will be rewarded, before us, let 
a glance be given to a few of the many calls for generous con- 
tributions. Here is a child of sorrow, whose tears must be 
dried by a timely relief of bodily necessities ; there is one 
who, like the man descending from Jerusalem to Jericho, has 
fallen among thieves, that have robbed him and left him 
scarcely alive. On one hand, the rights of the widow and the 
fatherless are invaded, and must be defended by the zeal of 
disinterested philanthropy ; on the other, are those, who, be- 
reft of both father and mother, are wholly dependent upon char- 
ity. Now we see the famishing, and now those in rags. In 
this place, the degraded must be elevated ; in that, the unfor- 
tunate should be encouraged and the desponding cheered. A 
little way from us is the prison with its wicked inmates, who 
need untiring efforts to reclaim them from vice ; nor would it 
require a long journey to find the hospital filled with sufferers ; 
perhaps they are insane, perhaps they are the dumb and deaf, 
or the blind, or the variously diseased and the mutilated. 
What vast extent of territory on this continent which requires 
prompt and energetic effort to supply its rude inhabitants with 
the gospel ; and how loud is the cry from perishing millions 
scattered over the other sections of the earth, for the knowl- 
edge of the living God. " Come and help us, or we die." 
They have a right thus to call, and those furnished with the 
means of teaching them the truth, will be guilty if they do not 
send the light of the Lord. All the ways in which benevo- 



CHRISTIAN BENEVOLENCE. 335 

lence may go forth, relieving the distressed, soothing the sor- 
rowing, and saving with an everlasting salvation the heirs of 
hell, in them it should be seen scattering goodness. " In the 
morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine 
hand." To every individual desirous of benefiting, in some 
way, the human family, the Head of the church is saying, 
" Behold I have set before thee an open door." Whoever will, 
may share in the high honor of a co-worker with the Most 
High in subduing the world by grace. 



This Benevolence too little exercised. 

It must be confessed, that the exercise of genuine benevo- 
lence is far less extensive than it ought to be. Selfishness is 
even now the controlling principle of much the larger propor- 
tion of mankind, in lands nominally Christian, and there is 
reason to apprehend that many in the church are ruled by it. 
" The great current of Christian property is as yet undirected 
from its worldly channel." What shall awake slumbering 
believers ? By whom can they be incited to exert themselves 
in well ordered methods for the renovation of the race ? O, 
for a return of " the heavenly art of embalming property and 
of making it immortal," as it was employed in the primitive 
simplicity of the new dispensation ! Come, thou excellent age 
of the world, when gold shall be consecrated by each Christian 
possessor of it to the glory of God ! Followers of Jesus, yea, 
all who would befriend the human race, devote your gain to 
the promotion of general philanthropy, seek in every aim to 
exalt society. Who may not do something ? Who can be 
willing to do nothing for the millions of his fellow-men ? This 
is the era in the earth's history, when, more than ever, king- 
doms and dominions are accessible to the bearers of blessings. 
Now should children be nurtured in the sentiment, that 



336 zion's pathway. 

salvation by Christ is to be published to every nation, infant 
ears ought to be familiar with these notes : 

" Salvation, salvation ! 

The joyful sound proclaim, 
Till earth's remotest nation 

Has learned Messiah's name." 

The fingers of little ones should be taught to let small pieces 
of money drop into the contribution box. Let it be instilled 
into the youngest minds that the great, the exalted end of hon- 
orable existence is the good of man and the glory of God. 
Happy will they be who are thus taught and so practise. 
Wealth, how desirable art thou, when laid on the altar of the 
world's Redeemer ! Yet, two mites are a million, if it be 
given in faith according to ability, and accompanied with fer- 
vent prayer. No contribution is small if it be thus bestowed. 
The heart of the giver can render great or small the gift. 



SILVER AND GOLD ARE THE LORD S. 

This proposition is based on an assertion of the Holy One, 
and its terms vary but little from those employed by himself: 
" The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of 
hosts." My object, in this article, is to illustrate and apply the 
position assumed in its caption. 

1. Silver and gold are the Lord's, as they exist in the ore. 
He made and deposited in the earth every particle of gold 
dust, and every atom of silver which have been discovered or 
now remain concealed. In forming the material globe, the 
different kinds of substances that should constitute it, were 
-called into existence as he judged proper. What there should 
be, and how much of each, was decided by his sovereign 
pleasure. Just so much of silver and of gold as the world now 
contains, was created when God made the earth. No particle 



SILVER AND GOLD ARE THE LORD'S. 337 

of matter has existed from eternity ; nor does matter transmute 
itself, changing its original nature. It is not possible for lead, 
or copper, or iron, to convert itself into gold or silver, or into 
any other precious metal. 

2. Silver and gold are the Lord's in the coin. He does not 
surrender his right to them when they are extracted from the 
earth, nor when they are smelted, nor when they pass through 
the mint. The miners, the smelters, and the minters are his, 
their strength is from him ; the arts and the instruments by 
which they work are his, as well as the substances on which 
these are employed. By what sort of logic, then, shall it be 
made to appear that silver and gold, which are the Lord's in 
the ore, are not his when they come from the mint, stamped by 
the authority of this or some other nation ? At what step 
of the process of converting gold and silver dust into money, 
does God relinquish his absolute claim to them ? He does it 
no where, but regards them as his at every stage of the pro- 
cess by which they are transformed from glittering dust to 
solid coin. 

3. Silver and God are the Lord's, in their circulation. 
They are so, unless he withdraw his claim, when they begin 
to be used as a medium of exchange. Because man employs 
them for purposes of trade, is not even presumptive evidence 
that they have ceased to be the Lord's. To assume that they 
are not his when thus appropriated, only proves the ignorance 
or arrogance of those who make the assumption. He permits 
air, light, and water, yea, every thing on earth, to be used by 
his creatures ; but never does he intimate that he ceases to 
regard all things as his own. The image and superscription 
of Caesar upon a piece of money, may show that it belongs to 
that person rather than to another ; and in a sense, the Creator 
may so commit it to Caesar's care that it should be regarded 
as his in contradistinction to certain things, which, on account 
of being set apart specially to religion, are said to belong to 

29 



338 zion's pathway. 

God ; as we read, " The heaven, even the heavens are the 
Lord's ; but the earth hath he given to the children of men." 
But that he makes no absolute surrender of aught beneath the 
sun, to mortals, he most explicitly affirms. 

4. Silver and gold are the Lord's, in every variety of ser- 
vice to which they have been or can be devoted. When the 
Most High expostulated with his people for neglecting to rear 
the temple after their return from captivity, and admonished 
them of the fact that his are the silver and the gold, these 
metals were, doubtless, as variously employed as they now 
are. Many were the ornaments and articles wrought from these 
valuable substances. Heathen divinities have been formed 
from them. The calf set up for Israel to worship, when Moses 
delayed to come down from the mount whereon he communed 
with Jehovah, was of gold. We read of one Demetrius, who 
made silver shrines for the great goddess Diana, and he found 
it a very profitable trade. 

Enough has been advanced illustrative of the position that 
silver and gold are the Lord's. From the truth asserted and 
elucidated, certain other positions flow. 

1. God has a right to make what use he pleases of his sil- 
ver and gold. May he not do what he will with his own ? 
Shall he be at all restricted in the distribution of his treasures ? 
If he saw fit to conceal them, at first, in the heart of the earth, 
who may affirm that he did wrong ? Perhaps there are now 
vastly greater quantities unknown than have ever been brought 
to light. Millions of dollars' worth of silver and of gold are 
possibly lying beneath the soil on which we daily tread. The 
foundation of the hills that skirt our horizon may be of solid 
gold. Who shall affirm that half the bed of the ocean is not 
paved with silver ; and that the sands of numerous, yet undis- 
covered rivers, are not gold? It is a matter of no special con- 
cern to us, in our reasoning about them, how much or how 
little there is of gold and silver. The quantity was limited 



SILVER AND GOLD ARE THE LORD'S. 339 

by unerring wisdom. So far as creative power was exer- 
cised, it had been as easy for God to make gold, as matter in 
forms more gross. He saw it best to fix the amount where 
it now stands, and there is a sufficiency. It were as wise to 
wish there were less as to desire an increase. 

2. If God have a right to use silver and gold as he pleases, 
he may bestow a much greater amount upon one person than 
he does upon another, provided it seems best to him thus to 
do. There surely is great diversity in the pecuniary circum- 
stances of men. But the providence of the Lord is as marked 
and various in regard to the possession of wealth, as in other 
respects. True, " the hand of the diligent maketh rich," but 
only so when prosperity is granted from above. An abun- 
dance may be the result of untiring industry, and at the same 
time of special providential favors. The Scriptures instruct 
us to recognize God in all events, and to acknowledge him 
as the author of every good. " Who is he that saith, and it 
cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not ? " Here 
let it be observed, that when the Most High places in the hands 
of an individual much property, he renders the responsibility 
of that person correspondingly great. The receiver of ten 
talents must account for their use ; while he who has been en- 
dowed with only one, will be required to answer but for the 
improvement of that small sum. Evidently, in general, secular 
enterprises could not be as successfully conducted as they are, 
were pecuniary means more equally distributed among men. 
Who can fail to be grateful to the Supreme Being for his al- 
lotments in respect to wealth ? Large possessions and impor- 
tant enterprises are wisely united. What good would money 
do in the hands of the irresolute ? 

3. Those to whom the Almighty gives silver and gold, 
should use them only in accordance with his will. Now every 
act, whether sacred or secular, which man ought to perform, is 
required of him by his Maker ; for we have no duties except 



340 zion's pathway. 

such as He appoints. Human beings are stationed in this 
world for the discharge of certain offices, the assignments of 
their God. They are stewards, and faithfulness is demanded 
of all sustaining such a relation. Unquestionably it is the di- 
vine will that the state of society should be civilized, not sav- 
age ; refined, not barbarous. So much of his silver and of his 
gold as are requisite for the highest good of humanity, he al- 
lots to its promotion. It is essential for the well-being of 
every healthful man, that some useful occupation should re- 
quire his daily attention. Permit him to be indolent, and the 
streams of his depravity will multiply and swell. Ship-build- 
ing, navigation, commerce, exploring voyages, the filling of 
valleys and the bringing down of hills, the bridging of rivers 
and the cutting through of mountains, are not necessarily offen- 
sive to God ; indeed he appoints them, if they promote the 
general weal of the world. 

4. When the Lord calls for any sum of silver or gold, be it 
more or less, those with whom he has made deposits, should 
yield the amount without complaint or delay. Sometimes he 
has a number of sanctuaries to erect, and at others various in- 
stitutions of learning to endow. There is also a great variety 
of benevolent societies which he has formed ; and for their 
successful prosecution frequent large drafts of money are 
required. Continually he is establishing new missionary sta- 
tions, or planning for the greater efficiency of those already in 
existence. The Lord is constantly doing something to benefit 
mankind, and many of his designs demand liberal appropriations 
of silver and gold. It is certain, however, that in no instance 
does he call for more generous donations from those to whom 
he has intrusted money, than himself placed in their care, and 
commonly it is only a part that is needed. 

5. It must be conceded that the Most High has been for 
years calling upon the guardians of his gold and silver, to de- 
liver into the hands of his authorized agents portions of what 



MAN CONSIDERED MORALLY; OR DEPRAVITY. 341 

he has deposited with them. The precise amount required of 
each individual is not ordinarily specified, but every one is 
directed to surrender a share, and he should consult most care- 
fully the dictates of conscience, and the laws of the statute book, 
before he decides the point of quantity. If only two mites 
can be spared, no more is required. Be it remembered that 
God never will permit the rich to be so liberal, as to render 
the gifts of the poor unnecessary. This class shall always en- 
joy the luxury of doing good with their little. It is an estab- 
lished rule with the Governor of all things to employ the 
bestowments of the circumscribed. Never will he cause the 
millions of his silver and gold, now held by the unholy, to flow 
into the channels of Christian philanthropy, while by so doing 
he might seem to cut off the privilege of giving, at present en- 
joyed by those who contribute of their penury. The time is 
coming, when every bank on earth shall be laid open to the 
church ; but first there must be numerous overturnings, which 
will depend very much for their happy issue on the charities 
of the poor. Jehovah is now demanding cents, dimes, dollars, 
eagles, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, and hundreds 
of thousands ; but ere long he will lay his omnipotent grasp 
upon millions, and woe to any who may attempt to resist his 
will. His are the silver and the gold, and to do what he 
pleases with his own, is a prerogative never yielded or op- 
posed with impunity. 

MAN CONSIDERED MORALLY; OR DEPRAVITY. 

The discussion of the topic contained in this caption cannot 
be more suitably opened than by quoting that passage of inim- 
itable beauty, precision and comprehensiveness : " God hath 
made man upright ; but they have sought out many inven- 
tions." We are reminded at once of the sublime origin of him 
who was created " in the image of God." If we are not able 
29* 



342 zion's pathway. 

to state definitely every particular embraced in that "likeness" 
of his Creator which he originally possessed, yet we are sure it 
included the perfect holiness of his nature. The divine prohi- 
bition given to our first parents, in the following words, was a test 
of their obedience. " But of the tree of the knowledge of good 
and evil, thou shalt not eat of it ; for in the day that thou eatest 
thereof, thou shalt surely die." Gen. 2 : 17. Here was a pos- 
itive command, but the obligation to obey it was moral. The 
subjects of it had no right to inquire, why are we excluded 
from the fruit of that tree ? A divine interdict should have 
been sufficient to satisfy them that they were wisely denied it. 
God may try his accountable creatures in just the manner he 
deems best. They have only to conform themselves to his 
bidding, or to suffer the consequences of disobedience. Wheth- 
er Adam and Eve were more likely to sin in the way in which 
they did, than in some other ; or whether they were less likely 
to fall as they did, than they would have been by a different 
temptation, is a point about which speculative minds can, if 
they please, raise questions and frame answers to suit them- 
selves. We have no certain information in respect to the 
length of time innocence reigned in Eden. The presumption 
is, that the bright morning of human existence was early veil- 
ed in awful clouds ; that the days of primitive bliss were not 
very numerous. 

Death was the penalty affixed to the law of paradise. What 
import are we to attach to that rather ambiguous term ? In 
this age its interpretation is not uniform. The Scriptures also 
employ the word with more than one or two significations. 
Just how much did the Almighty mean, when He said, " In the 
day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die ? " We sup- 
pose He knew precisely the intent and the extent of His own 
asseveration, and that all which he designed to predict, was 
actually fulfilled w T ithin twenty -four hours of Adam's transgres- 
sion. Nearly six thousand years have been elucidating this 



MAN CONSIDERED MORALLY ; OR DEPRAVITY. 343 

first announcement in a long series of prophecies. On this 
point, experience, observation, and the Bible speak the same 
sentiment ; and it is in such language as the following : When 
man sinned, he immediately became mortal, as to his body ; 
dead in sin, as to his soul ; and an heir of the hell which 
had been previously " prepared for the devil and his angels." 
In all these respects he died on the day of his eating the for- 
bidden fruit. Whether Adam fully understood the terms of 
the threatened penalty or not, the word of the Lord has left us 
uninformed. He was neither an infant nor an ignorant child ; 
but an adult, bearing the image of his Maker. Probably not 
one of his posterity has possessed a mind so acute, strong, and 
comprehensive as his. We may suppose, if we please, that 
Jehovah laid before him the endless evils which would be con- 
sequent upon transgression. Still his obligation to obey did 
not depend upon the evils which would result if he did not 
obey. The rules of the infinite Lawgiver should always be 
our guide ; even could we suppose that no terrible penalty 
might fall upon those coming short or going beyond the line 
marked out by him. 

The progenitors of our race violated the law of God, and 
the sin by which they " fell from the state wherein they were 
created, was their eating of the forbidden fruit." Such are the 
plain teachings of Scripture. Finite beings are mutable. 
Probation implies the possibility that those enjoying it may 
forfeit the favor of Him who appoints them their lot. In the 
third chapter of Genesis, we find a somewhat minute history 
of the Fall of man. There is an unvarnished narration of the 
main steps by which sin and ruin have filled the earth. Je- 
hovah himself is the author of this account, and we should re- 
gard any man, however high his pretensions to learning, as a 
falsifier of the Scriptures, if he explain away the obvious pur- 
port of these statements. There is in these verses no demand 
for allegorizing ; no need of a resort to symbols. It is not a 



344 zion's pathway. 

chapter of metaphors, but of facts, clearly announced and con- 
secutively exhibited. Because we do not hear a serpent speak, 
is no argument against the biblical representation that the 
devil used such an agent in decoying the mother of us all. Of 
the immense changes occasioned in the natural world, by the 
introduction of moral evil, our ideas are unavoidably indefinite. 
Significant hints there are on different pages of the Bible, 
from which we may gather the sentiment, that sin affected 
every thing on earth. Since the day of the first transgression, 
the world has been disordered. " For we know that the whole 
creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." 
The very ground was cursed for man's sake. "In sorrow 
shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life ; thorns also and 
thistles shall it bring forth to thee." Our chief concern, how- 
ever, when tracing the effects of the transgression of Adam, 
should be to ascertain whether his posterity have been badly 
influenced by it, for they, like him, are susceptible of suffering. 
If liis sin involved them in ruin, it is a fact important for them 
to understand. 

What then is the natural moral state of mankind ? This 
solemn and important inquiry may be answered in a very few 
words, yet it ought not to be dismissed without serious consid- 
eration. In reflecting on the subject, I have thought that the 
most direct way for me to reach a correct and impressive con- 
clusion, would be to take up and analyze an observation, touch- 
ing the matter in hand, made by an inspired apostle, concerning 
himself, in these words : " For I know that in me, that is, in 
my flesh, dwelleth no good thing." Romans 7 : 18. In ex- 
amining this statement of one who was not only divinely taught 
to speak the truth, but so to utter it, that after generations 
might appeal to his declarations as unquestionable authority 
relative to every point discussed by him, I shall raise tw r o 
questions, for which I will endeavor to provide answers. 

First What does the apostle mean when making the above 



MAN CONSIDERED MORALLY ; OR DEPRAVITY. 345 

cited declaration concerning himself? Are we to regard him 
as using the term flesh in its most literal signification, and as 
giving utterance to a conclusion derived from a careful scrutiny 
of the properties of his physical frame ? Does he mean simply 
to affirm that his body is entirely diseased ? Was the apostle 
a physiologist, and do we have, in his words before us, the re- 
sult of an investigation of his own corporeal system ? Surely 
nothing of this nature is intended. Paul was of another pro- 
fession, and his language relates to a moral, not to a physical 
subject. The word flesh is not infrequently used in a moral 
sense. Christ says, " That which is born of the flesh is 
flesh." John 3 : 6. Surely he does not assert a mere truism 
respecting the physical homogeneousness of parents and their 
offspring. His meaning is, that the children of the unholy are 
themselves sinful ; just as what is produced by the Holy Ghost 
is pure, like himself. The last part of the passage reads, 
" And that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." Does not 
the connection clearly exhibit the import of the term flesh to 
be man's moral nature as unchanged by grace ? In the eighth 
chapter of Romans an antithetical use of the words flesh and 
spirit occurs a number of times. " There is therefore now no 
condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk 
not after the flesh but after the Spirit." — " That the righteous- 
ness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the 
flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh 
do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the 
Spirit, the things of the Spirit." We meet with substantially 
the same ideas in phraseology a little different in verses im- 
mediately following those last quoted. " For to be carnally 
minded is death ; but to be spiritually minded is life and 
peace." Being carnally minded is the same as walking after 
the flesh. It is furthermore said, that " the carnal mind is 
enmity against God ; for it is not subject to the law of God, 
neither indeed can be. So then, they that are in the flesh can- 



346 zion's pathway. 

not please God." It must be already manifest to every candid 
inquirer, that the apostle employs the term flesh to designate 
man's natural moral state. Still farther illustrations of his 
meaning may be found in Gal. 5:16. " This I say, then, walk 
in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." He 
subjoins a catalogue of the works of the flesh, and then pre- 
sents, in contrast, the fruits of the Spirit. 

We cannot be mistaken in supposing the apostle to assert that 
he knows there is no good in his own moral nature, unaffected 
by the grace of God. Perhaps the term good demands a 
slight notice in this connection ; for we must not conclude that 
Paul was unmindful of the Psalmist's observation : "I am 
fearfully and wonderfully made." He should not be regarded 
as making a sweeping statement ; but as presenting the con- 
viction of his own mind after having compared himself with a 
particular standard ; namely, the moral law. He says, " We 
know that the law is spiritual, but lam carnal, sold under sin." 
When thus tested, he saw nothing in himself by nature, which 
this law could accept ; therefore, he knew there was not the 
least thing deserving from it, the title good. Except as grace 
had implanted holiness, he saw himself to be utterly destitute 
of every excellence demanded by a holy law. If cut off from 
hope, except as it should beam upon him in consequence of 
native good, he felt sure that the blackness of darkness awaited 
him. 

My second inquiry is, how far we may regard what the 
apostle affirms of himself, as equally applicable to mankind in 
general. It may be observed, that there is no special reason 
for concluding that the moral nature of Paul was constituted 
of elements different from those belonging to other persons. 
We have reason to suppose he was by nature one with them ; 
for he was a descendant of the same ancestry, and possessed 
of the same general characteristics. On the other hand, there 
can be produced the most convincing evidence, that what he 



MAN CONSIDERED MORALLY ; OR DEPRAVITY. 347 

affirmed, in respect to himself, is true of every individual of 
the human family. We hesitate not in the least to lay down 
the bold and the wide sweeping proposition, that there is not 
by nature, in any son or daughter of Adam, aught which the 
law of God recognizes as good. Here I must caution the 
reader not to confound terms, or involve the exact point of the 
discussion with extraneous topics. We do not assert that there 
is nothing in any sense good pertaining to the human mind, 
even before sanctification is begun. Tried by the standard 
for the admeasurement of intellectual faculties, or by that, the 
office of which is to test the natural affections, one's mind or 
heart may be found to possess a great amount of real excel- 
lence, while it is wholly destitute of those qualities demanded 
by the moral law. The question, whether mankind are sinful 
in any degree, or if they be so, what is the extent of their 
criminality, can be answered only by an appeal to the law 
just named. What then does it require ? Perfect obedience 
to every precept. He that fails at all to meet its claims, sins 
just so far as he comes short of exact heart obedience. " Sin 
is any want of conformity to, or transgression of, the law of 
God." Such is a precise rendering of 1 John 3 : 4, which 
is translated in the common version thus : " Sin is the trans- 
gression of the law." Let us settle it immutably in our 
own minds ; for it is eternally established in the moral govern- 
ment of Jehovah, that whatever in human feeling or conduct 
does not coincide entirely with that law, is sin. But we are 
now met by a question of vast importance : Who shall judge, 
when feeling or conduct does thus conform to it, or vary from 
it ? Those blinded by sin, cannot decide correctly, respecting 
the claims of such a law, since they are insensible to its deep 
demands. God is the only impartial judge, in questions relat- 
ing to the claims and prohibitions of his own law ; and no 
other being can know for a certainty how many sins of omis- 
sion or of commission are chargeable to an individual. Persons 



348 zion's pathway. 

the most spiritually minded, are, in some measure, qualified to 
decide what is, and what is not, a violation of the moral law ; 
while those not in the least illuminated from above, have no 
just ideas of its strictness. We are prepared to resume the 
proposition already expressed, and to proceed to a considera- 
tion of its truth. Its announcement is, that in mankind there 
is nothing which the moral law recognizes as good. Or in 
other words, it declares that they are wholly destitute of holi- 
ness, without which, no one shall see the Lord. This condi- 
tion of mankind is more usually designated by the term 
depravity, and I shall so change my phraseology in the remain- 
ing part of this article, as to make it conform to that techni- 
cality, and shall pursue the discussion under separate heads. 

1. Mankind are depraved. On this point there surely can 
be but one opinion. Their wickedness is every where most 
terribly manifest. No age or country has been exempt from 
the awful developments of their hostility to holiness, and their 
fellowship with iniquity. Were there no sin on earth, pain, 
sickness, sorrow, and death, would be here unknown. Nothing 
of the kind existed in time, previous to the first transgression. 
Crimes of all descriptions ; prisons, jails, houses of correction, 
bolts, locks ; guardians by day, and watchmen by night ; offi- 
cers for arrest, jurors, judges, courts for trial, gallows in use, 
and in reserve; strifes, wars, slavery, intemperance, are proofs 
of depravity. We cannot begin to search ourselves without 
meeting evidence that we are far removed from moral purity. 
On this subject the Scriptures are explicit. " God saw that 
the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every 
imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil con- 
tinually." Gen. 6:5. " The imagination of man's heart is 
evil from his youth." Gen. 8:21. What is here asserted 
was not more applicable to the generation to whom it prima- 
rily referred, than it has been to all persons since. Such lan- 
guage depicts a universal characteristic of our fallen race. 



MAN CONSIDERED MORALLY; OR DEPRAVITY. 349 

The moral nature of human beings did not change favorably 
in consequence of the deluge. With reference to a period 
much later than the occurrence of that momentous event, in- 
spiration has made these records : " The heart of the sons of 
men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they 
live, and after that they go to the dead." Eccl. 9:3. By the 
Omniscient Spirit were such unlimited declarations made, and 
within them are included the world of human beings. Of a 
similar import is the following : " The heart is deceitful above 
all things, and desperately wicked." Jer. 17 : 9. Not merely 
here and there a heart is thus degenerate, but the heart of man, 
in every age and country, is just as corrupt as the prophet 
affirms. Not an exception has hitherto ever existed ; nor will 
one appear during the years in which the world may hereafter 
stand. This same doctrine is taught in those passages which 
exhibit the necessity of regeneration, in order for admission 
into heaven. Furthermore, the Bible presents the fact, that 
without exception mankind die, as proof of the universality of 
their depravity. " Death passed upon all men, for that all 
have sinned." Eom. 5:12. The translations of Enoch and 
Elijah to heaven, without the dissolution of their bodies, were 
purely miraculous events. 

2. This depravity is total. No reference is had in this 
proposition to any part of a human being, except his moral 
nature and character. One's features may be comely ; his 
bodily proportions good ; his intellectual endowments high ; 
his social habits excellent, and his regard to the general wel- 
fare of society commendable ; while the love of God is not in 
him ; yea, while he inwardly and constantly abhors holiness, 
and curses the only way of acquiring it, the mediation of 
Christ. Whoever comes short of perfect compliance, in any 
respect, with the moral law, is depraved just so far as he fails 
to meet its demands ; and entire deficiency on the part of any 
individual, is proof that he is totally depraved. Now it is a 
30 



350 zion's pathway. 

doctrine of the Scriptures, and of course held by evangelical 
Christians, that mankind do, in their natural state, invariably 
fail of meeting the requirements of God ; that in no case 
whatever does an individual, unregenerate, do any thing pleas- 
ing to him. Jesus declared that "except a man be born again, 
he cannot see the kingdom of God." If in us naturally, there 
were even the minutest amount of holiness, such a radical 
renovation would not be indispensable, for the smallest germ 
might be cultivated and increased. Moreover, it is presumed 
that every individual of an enlightened understanding, who 
becomes a subject of renewing grace, is made to feel that in 
himself there was naturally no good thing. How emphatic is 
the Bible : " The natural man receiveth not the things of the 
Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him ; neither can 
he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Cor. 
2 : 14. Many of those passages which I have quoted in proof 
of depravity, are in point under the head of its extent. "If 
one died for all, then were all dead." Did not Jesus Christ lay 
down his life for the whole world ? 

3. This depravity is native. Nor can such a statement be 
difficult of comprehension. One's native place is that in which 
he was born, and what is native to a man, was born with him. 
Habits, though they may become a second nature, are never 
designated by the term native, because they are acquired. We 
do not ever style a disease native, however long the sufferer 
may have endured it, provided he did not bring it with him 
into the world. An eminent living divine has specified seve- 
ral characteristics of what may be termed native, in respect to 
the human family. (1.) It is universal, being found in all 
men, of all ages and conditions of life. (2.) It developes 
itself in early life. (3.) It can be traced to no change subse- 
quent to birth. (4.) It operates spontaneously, (o.) It is 
hard to be resisted and overcome. (6.) We can predict with 
certainty, that it will in due time act itself out. He observes, 



MAN CONSIDERED MORALLY ; OR DEPRAVITY. 351 

that " if we examine any thing, whether bodily or mental, 
which we consider as natural to man, we shall find that it has 
these or most of these marks ; and that we have no other way 
of proving it to be natural but by referring to these very 
marks." * In respect to human depravity, it is found that all 
the above attributes do pertain to it. An acute, ancient writer 
remarks, " Men do not sooner begin to act rationally, than they 
do begin to act irregularly. If never so skilful a hand play 
upon an instrument out of tune, if it sound, it will sound 
amiss." f Observation proves that the wonderful instrument, 
the human soul, is badly out of tune. Its disordered state is 
evinced by every touch from the moral law ; its first notes and 
all its subsequent ones, till it be put in order by the Spirit of 
God, are equally dissonant. All persons sin early : " They go 
astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies." But why is 
this fact universal, if it be not natural for them ? " Behold, I 
was shapen in iniquity ; and in sin did my mother con- 
ceive me." If sinning be universal, the cause must be alike 
extensive. Shall it be replied to this assertion, that Adam 
sinned without an innate propensity, therefore all his posterity 
may do the same ? We reply, that his sinning implied a great 
moral change in him. But nothing of the kind occurs in any of 
his descendants, when they perform certain external acts, which 
prove them internally depraved. The transgression of the 
first man stands marked in the Scriptures as an anomaly in 
the world ; but the sins of his posterity are every where in 
that volume set forth as perfectly natural. Still farther, it is 
a doctrine of revelation, that in consequence of the offence of 
the original pair, all their offspring are sinners by nature. 
" By one man's disobedience many were made sinners." No 
river can be more easily traced to its source, than can the 
broad stream of human depravity to the first transgression as 



*Dr. Woods. t John Howe. 



352 zion's pathway. 

its source. " The fall brought mankind into a state of sin and 
misery." What an illustration of this statement, is the fact, 
that the first child born on earth became a murderer ! " Who 
can bring a clean thing out of an unclean ? Not one." " That 
which is born of the flesh is flesh." " By our relationship to 
Adam, we are born the children of wrath." Yet we do not 
anxiously inquire for the precise manner in which the sin of 
the parent ruined his race ; but the fact that such was its con- 
sequence, we do know, Cavillers are at liberty to object to our 
views, if they desire so to do. Still, we would caution them 
of the danger they are in, of passing their probation in decrying 
the existence of the very depravity which alone prompts their 
cavils, and is rapidly fitting them for unquenchable fire. 



THE NEW BIRTH ESSENTIAL TO THE ATTAINMENT OF HEAVEN. 

What is to be understood by the New Birth f 

On this question, as well as on many others discussed in 
these pages, the Word of God is of the highest authority. We 
need only ascertain its teachings. Christ, in his discourse with 
Nicodemus, termed it a being " born of water and of the spirit," 
and the purport of this declaration may be gathered from what 
immediately follows the words quoted : " That which is born 
of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is 
spirit." The same change is denominated in Gal. 6 : 15, " a 
new creature," or creation, as the original imports ; and in Tit. 
3 : 5, " the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the 
Holy Ghost." We find in 1 John 3 : 9, the expression, " born 
of God." Ezek. 11 : 19, contains these words : " And I will 
put a new spirit within you, and I will take the stony heart out 
of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh." In Deut. 
30 : 6, is mentioned a circumcision of the heart. All these 
forms of speech, and many others which might be cited, refer 



THE NEW BIRTH. 353 

to the change which our Saviour in his conversation, to which 
I have alluded, styled the new birth. " Verily, verily I say 
unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the king- 
dom of God." John 3:3. In theological terms, it is called 
regeneration, which is of precisely the same import as born 
again. Conversion is also a term used to denote it, though 
this rather expresses the act of the sinner in turning to God, 
when regeneration has actually taken place, than the change 
itself. The new birth implies in its subject a radical moral 
renovation. It does not affect, primarily or particularly, the 
physical or the intellectual faculties ; these are continued with- 
out essential alteration through all the revolutions in man's 
moral nature. Still, as the whole person feels the effects of 
sin, so does it the influence of regeneration. In every case of 
its occurrence, this birth is the commencement of a life in the 
service of God. Observation, history and the Scriptures, unite 
in testifying, that mankind are not by nature in a state of 
friendship with Jehovah. At the first birth, they are destitute 
of holiness ; by the second, they become its recipients. The 
unrenewed are said to be dead in trespasses and sins, and the 
renewed to be made alive, created in Christ Jesus, unto good 
works, such as all persons should perform, but which none 
naturally attempt. That great and happy changes do take 
place in the moral character of individuals, is too manifest for 
the admission of a doubt. Some, while sitting on earthly 
thrones, have renounced a life of pride, and meekly bowed to 
the King of kings. Those who had exulted in the achieve- 
ments of their own intellects, and had in their haughtiness 
despised weaker minds, have, after years of arrogance and 
folly, abandoned every evil work. In all the pursuits of life, 
some that had been inflated with vanity, have become divested 
of it, and humbly submitted to Immanuel. Thousands of 
prayerless lips and hearts have learned daily to supplicate 
the throne of grace. Now their chief joy is in petitioning 
30* 



354 zion's pathway. 

God for needed mercies, and in thanksgivings for those already 
received. Profane persons, in great numbers, have broken 
off from their evil practice, and shudder at the thought of ut- 
tering an oath. Their speech, once most polluted, is purified, 
and hymns of adoring praise drop from their tongues. He 
whose spirit was consumed by avarice is changed into a man 
of systematic and enlarged benevolence. The Sabbath has 
come to be esteemed the day of rest, as holy, delightful and 
heavenly, by him who had for years despised it ; and he would 
not, for all the pleasures of time, do aught to dishonor conse- 
crated hours. Of the miserable outcasts from society, whose 
reformation seemed beyond hope, are found examples of real 
renovation of life, of genuine faith in the Saviour, and of 
fidelity to his cause. 

Have not my readers seen a great and happy change pro- 
duced in the moral character of individuals ? Yea, have not 
themselves in some instances been the subjects of it ? I refer 
not to temporary reforms — to superficial improvements, but 
to that deep and permanent revolution in feeling, thought and 
action which is witnessed by many, prompting them to exclaim, 
What a change ! There are examples of an unquestionable 
character, and which may be seen by any desirous of proof in 
regard to the fact. It is proper in this connection simply to 
state, what will subsequently be discussed, that the Holy Spirit 
is the author of the new birth or regeneration. " The wind 
bloweth where it listeth, and thou nearest the sound thereof, 
but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth ; so is 
every one that is born of the Spirit." The movements of the 
wind may be unknown to us ; but that it is in motion we are 
convinced from the effects which surely are traceable to such a 
cause. The Spirit we see not ; his mode of making the sinner 
anew is wrapped in mystery ; but the products of his skill are 
open to inspection. 



THE NEW BIRTH. 355 



The Ground of the Necessity of the New Birth. 

Why is the new birth essential to the attainment of heaven? 
This inquiry merits a careful and thorough consideration. Of 
those admitting this necessity, some entertain vague ideas of 
its ground. That man should be subjected to a moral renova- 
tion, or be eternally excluded from the society of the holy, is 
to them an arbitrary requirement ; a despotic condition ap- 
pointed by Christ, on which he will receive persons into hea- 
ven. It might be discarded, if he had judged proper ; or there 
might have been a substitute. Such, altogether mistake the 
foundation of the necessity of the new birth. It is not a 
mere kingly enactment that demands regeneration, as a pre- 
parative for admission into blessedness. It was as true before 
the Redeemer said it, as afterwards, that " Except a man be 
born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Had the de- 
claration contained in these words never been made, the fact, 
which they assert, would have been as true as it is now. The 
nature of things does not depend upon a simple announcement, 
though it proceed from the Son of God. Holiness and sin 
are in their natures immutable. One cannot triumph without 
the defeat of the other. The moral atmosphere of the celes- 
tial state is subject to no variations, and for its inhalation by 
terrestrials there must be a previous preparedness. Further, 
the employments of the heavenly abode are in their nature 
unchangeable, and so are its enjoyments. Certain prerequi- 
sites for a participation in them there must be, and what in 
this respect is demanded at one time, is equally necessary at 
all times. The learned and the illiterate, the wealthy and the 
indigent, persons of this age and country, and those of every 
period and clime, must entertain the same views, and possess 
like feelings, in order to enter the world of glory. Till man- 
kind are born again, they have no moral fitness for the king- 
dom of God, since none of them are holy by nature. 



356 zion's pathway. 



Two Specifications, 

But it is needful to enter more into particulars, in order that 
this want of fitness be made manifest. 

1. The unregenerate are morally polluted. Sin may be 
styled a leprosy on the soul, and while it remains unremoved, 
it must debar the infected from society morally pure. Could 
an individual be found who had committed but one sin, his 
single act of transgression would have fastened a stain upon 
his soul, which could not be removed, except by the agency 
that gives the new heart. The person, however, cannot be 
found, whose sins are few. All are involved in multiplied acts 
of open and positive disobedience, and have come short of the 
requirements of God. O earth, thy myriads are without ex- 
ception great sinners. " The Lord looked down from heaven, 
upon the children of men, to see if there be any that did un- 
derstand and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all 
become filthy." Ps. 14: 2,3. In such a condition does the 
eye of Omniscience behold them, whenever it surveys the 
children of men. " From the sole of the foot, even unto the 
head, there is no soundness "in them, "but wounds and bruises 
and putrefying sores ;" which " have not been closed, neither 
bound up, neither mollified with ointment." Isa. 1:6. " Now 
the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these : adultery, 
fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, 
hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 
envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like ; of 
the which, I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, 
that they which do such things, shall not inherit the kingdom 
of God." Gal. 5 : 19-21. Can those so polluted pass into 
the holy city, over the very gate of which is written in ever- 
during capitals, "There shall in no wise enter into it any 
thing that defileth " ? Reason, as well as revelation, replies in 



THE NEW BIRTH. 357 

the negative. But imagine, if you please, one morally pol- 
luted in heaven, what comfort could he find there ? Lo, he 
paces along the golden pavement, seeing at every step his own 
odious likeness reflected from the bright surface on which he 
treads ! Can the sinless angels welcome him to their spotless 
abode ? No, but shunning his presence, they will plead with 
God for his instant expulsion. Will the saints rejoice in be- 
holding him drawing near to them ? They, too, flee from 
him, fearing his contaminating touch. May he attempt an 
approach to the Mediator? That is useless, for the inter- 
cessions of Christ relate to those on probation, who are yet 
among the living. " Whosoever shall deny me before men, 
him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." 
Matt. 10 : 33. Suppose he attempt to draw near to the throne of 
God, every beam of glory falling upon him from it, will smite 
him with blindness, and repel him with resistless power ! 
In regeneration is commenced a gradual removal of this most 
fearful pollution. Though the renewed soul is not entirely 
delivered at once from its vileness, it begins to be cleansed 
when the new birth occurs, nor will the operation cease, till 
a fitness for a holy place is completed. 

2. The selfishness of the unrenewed prevents their admit- 
tance into heaven. They are supremely selfish. While destitute 
of that change denominated the new birth, the glory of God is 
not made the end of their efforts, but self-will, in some one 
of its many phases, is always the object sought. Perhaps it 
would be impossible to convince one, who has not examined this 
change, that in every respect he is controlled by a regard to 
self. The eye of the soul is not ordinarily so enlightened as 
to see its own motives. Should, however, the change termed 
regeneration take place in any one, then will the truth of what 
is here affirmed of him, manifest itself. I am willing, yea, 
desirous, that the unregenerate should scrutinize the springs 
of their moral conduct. If they do, occasionally, proceed with 
the most sacred regard to the honor of the Supreme Being, 



358 zion's pathway. 

doubtless the instances, at least, some of them, are remembered. 
Can a specification be made ? If so, by all means, let it be 
published as an interesting phenomenon in the moral world. 
Proclaim it aloud, that such an unrenewed person was at such 
a time, and in the performance of such an act, influenced solely 
by a desire, and with a fixed purpose to glorify God ! No 
sinner, whose moral sense is not utterly obtuse, will dare 
assert for a fact, what the experience of every true Christian 
knows to be false. 

It is a position not to be questioned, that all the unrenewed 
are constantly under the dominion of selfishness. No uprising 
of impenitency against this sentiment, can be regarded in any 
other light than proof of its correctnsss. Direct now your 
thoughts heavenward ; is there evidence of selfishness existing 
in the world of blessedness ? Contemplate the character of 
God. Is there aught to be perceived in it which does not har- 
monize with the most extensive benevolence ? Has he an 
attribute which declares or seems to indicate that he is not love ? 
In vain shall the universe be challenged to show an instance 
in which he has exhibited selfishness. He loves himself 
supremely, and it would be an awful mistake in him not to do 
it, for " it woull be doing an infinite wrong to the universe." 
He is immeasurably superior in excellence to all that exists 
besides himself. Creatures now are, and eternally will be, 
infinitely less than the Creator. In comparison with the 
Almighty, other things and beings are as nothing. Contem- 
plate the Lord Jesus Christ in his character as Mediator ; he 
is not selfish ; every fact recorded in his history repels the 
suggestion that he is. Arraign the hosts of angels that encircle 
the throne of Deity, and scrutinize the motives by which they 
are actuated ; verily selfishness cannot be predicated of them. 
Their constant aim is to know and do the will of their King. 
" Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty," is their unceasing song. 
Bring also, to some infallible test, the principles and practices 
of the saints on high. However selfish they may have been 



THE NEW BIRTH. 359 

when tabernacling in the flesh, even after their conversion, it 
will be impossible to find any remains of sin in them during 
their residence in a world of perfect purity. Make the most 
thorough search through all the celestial city, beginning at the 
pearly gate ; leave no object untested ; range through all the 
fields of glory, and scale every hill of immortality ; pass into 
each apartment of the house not made with hands, and watch 
for a while the operations of the inmates ; explore the archives 
of eternity ; draw near that throne of ineffable brightness on 
which the Infinite sits ; gaze upon its foundations, and scan its 
towering height ; pry into the secret will of the great "lam; " 
probe the inmost recesses of his heart ; and when the search 
shall have been carried so far, that naught in heaven is left 
untried, then decide, how much of selfishness there is in the 
empire of love ! 

O selfish mortal, the dwelling-place of Jehovah has no en- 
tertainments for thy contaminated spirit. Wert thou admitted 
there, thy first enterprise would be an effort to appropriate, to 
some unhallowed personal use, the very gold with which the 
New Jerusalem is paved. If there be any one locality in the 
universe, which concentrates more of insufferable anguish for 
the sinner than any other, it is the holiest part of the heaven 
of heavens. Say not that infinite Goodness will in the future 
state render happy such as spend their entire probation in 
transgression. What proof would it be of special goodness in 
God, to place the sinner in the celestial abode, if there, of 
necessity, he must be in a greater hell than elsewhere ? But 
the unrenewed shall not enter the world of the blest. The 
mercy which endures forever cannot lift them, selfish, defiled 
beings, into the celestial abode. 



Those holy gates forever bar 
Pollution, sin and shame ; 

None can obtain admittance there, 
But followers of the Lamb." 



360 zion's pathway. 

Contemplate heaven in any of the aspects in which it is 
presented to us in the Scriptures, and the unfitness for it of 
those not renewed will be obvious. Perfect holiness charac- 
terizes that world, but this excellence is not loved by the unre- 
newed. Only sinless beings dwell there, and the sinner cannot 
relish such society* An earthly Sabbath is a type of the 
eternal rest of the saints, yet its sacredness is not loved by 
those who remain in their natural state. The hosts above, 
without ceasing, worship God. " And I beheld, and heard the 
voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts 
and the elders ; and the number of them was ten thousand 
times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands ; saying with 
a loud voice, worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive 
power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and 
glory, and blessing." Rev. 5 : 11, 12. Could the unregenerate 
take part in such a song ? Are they prepared to join in the 
ascription, " Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto 
Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever 
and ever." Rev. 5 : 13. Heaven's anthems must be learned 
on earth, but none of the unrenewed are yet rehearsing them, 
or even practising a single prelude. What sentiment can be 
more manifestly correct, than is that contained in the proposi- 
tion that the new birth is essential to the attainment of heaven ? 
Truth of solemn weight ! Who can feel its purport too deeply ? 
Sinners must be born again, or they will be driven into end- 
less woe. 

Ye worshippers of pleasure ! that insatiable desire for the 
enjoyments of time which now enslaves you, may attend you 
into the dark valley of the shadow of death ; but thencefor- 
ward you must endure pain. No giddy circles lie beyond the 
grave; there, instead of pleasure, will be realized the tor- 
ments of the damned. Old companions and yourself may 
meet, but not with merry hearts, nor with animated counte- 
nances. You must wear a despairing look, and forever feel 



THE NEW BIRTH. 361 

the gnawings of the never-dying worm. In the cells of earth's 
eternal prison will be naught to comfort or to break for a mo- 
ment the anguish of the soul. Ye sons of avarice ! your 
quenchless desire to amass silver and gold, and to add estate to 
estate, may reign in you till death has silenced your powers, 
having effectually excluded you from participation in the great 
salvation ; but it will be no sort of relief in eternity to reflect 
that the whole of probation was devoted to the accumulation 
of riches. No transfer of your treasures gathered from the 
soil can be made to the abode of the lost ! O, it will harrow 
the soul to meditate on any period of life passed in pursuit of 
that which cannot profit ; and to think that no pains whatever 
were bestowed for the acquisition of a new heart ; to experi- 
ence the new birth. The raging desire which is now proving 
your destroyer, may hereafter be your unceasing tormentor. 
Your moral nature must undergo a radical change, or you will 
weep and wail where atoning blood is never applied. Ye who 
degrade yourselves by indulging in the use of intoxicating 
drink ; revel you can while life lasts ; yea, ye may die ine- 
briates, but be assured that no drunkard shall inherit the king- 
dom of God. The Lord's cup of indignation will be poured 
upon you without ceasing, unless your course is soon changed, 
and you become new creatures in Christ. Your dark way 
descends rapidly to hell. Perdition is at your feet, and the 
besom of destruction must quickly sweep you from this stage 
of action. 

All ye who live in sin, the particular passion at present rul- 
ing you may be predominant in the hour of your dissolution ; 
yea, control the spirit beyond the period of the heart's opera- 
tions, and be supreme forever. If the new birth do not be- 
come yours before the termination of probation, these unbridled 
desires, appetites, lusts and aims, may endlessly storm the soul, 
where there is no shelter from their undying rage. On earth 
there are numerous resorts to gratify the cravings of vicious 
31 



362 zion's pathway. 

habits and propensities ; in that future state the desires may- 
exist, but means by which to meet them must be entirely 
wanting. If the new birth be not experienced in this life, 
each passion will, perhaps, eternally harass the spirit. MarveJ 
not that except a man be born again, he cannot see the king- 
dom of God ! Without the change, no fallen creature is fit 
for heaven. Besides, sin has a downward tendency. Its at- 
traction is toward the centre of hell. Were the gate of heaven 
open to the unrenewed, they could not, by reason of the bur- 
den upon them, ascend. Marvel not ; heaven is the dwelling- 
place of the holy ; and the unrenewed are unholy. Nothing 
impure can be allowed to enter the city on high. The feet of 
the unsanctified shall never pollute the soil of paradise. Mar- 
vel not ; Christ is in heaven, and where he is the unregenerate 
cannot dwell. Let this theme occupy every mind. Be it 
daily remembered by young and old, that except a man be 
born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Make it the 
subject of your daily meditations ; pray over it. Ask whether 
evidence of the new birth, as having been experienced by 
you, is evinced in your life. Fail not to make sure of this 
great change. Destitute of it, you are hopelessly and help- 
lessly lost ; in possession of it, yours will be the kingdom of 
glory. 

GOD THE AUTHOR OF THE NEW BIRTH. 

The Position illustrated. 

In regeneration, being is given to what did not previously 
exist ; a new disposition is implanted. The subject becomes 
the recipient of a new creation, and to create is exclusively 
the prerogative of divine power. Unregenerate persons are 
said, in the Scriptures, to be dead in trespasses and sins. Al- 
lowing the language to be figurative, the import is not a 



GOD THE AUTHOR OP THE NEW BIRTH. 363 

figure, but a fact. We need not, however, regard the expres- 
sion as figurative, but literal. Sinners are spiritually dead, 
and a spiritual death is not less a reality, than is a natural 
death ; and to impart spiritual life to the spiritually dead, is 
doubtless as difficult, and as much demanding almighty power, 
as to restore to life the breathless corpse. Careful attention 
to the moral state of mankind, as they are by nature, dis- 
closes the appalling fact, that they are destitute of holiness. 
But they must become holy, or perish in sin. Holiness is a 
positive something; though it be not a physical substance, it is 
a real existence. When it is secured to one by regeneration, 
he has then in his possession a treasure of infinite value. On 
the native moral state of mankind, the word of God, as we 
have previously seen, speaks without ambiguity. " There is 
none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 
They are all gone out of the way ; they are together become 
unprofitable ; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." Rom. 
3 : 11, 12. Both Jews and Gentiles are under sin. "As it 
is written, there is none righteous, no, not one." Rom. 3 : 10. 
Since the Fall, the moral world has exhibited but one aspect, 
except as the grace of God has changed the scene. The ear- 
liest and the latest developments of man's moral nature, show 
it to be deeply depraved, wholly estranged from God, and 
fearfully set on sin. The heart is the fountain of iniquity, and 
its renewal affects one's entire character, not by adding to his in- 
tellectual faculties, nor by augmenting his physical force, but 
by turning him in all respects to the service of Christ. The 
change is great ; it is radical ; it is far reaching ; it is perma- 
nent. Spiritual blindness gives place to spiritual sight ; and 
moral insensibility is made to yield ; or, in Scripture phrase, 
the heart of stone is removed, and a heart of flesh is given. 
Selfishness is dethroned, and only such a regard to self is sub- 
sequently indulged, as is perfectly consistent with supreme 
love to God, and that love which is required to be manifested 
to fellow- creatures. 



364 zion's fathway. 

The change denominated regeneration, is of such a nature, 
as to preclude the possibility of its being the result of natural 
causes ; by which are meant such as are continually operating 
in nature. Nor do the special means of grace regenerate men, 
for these are enjoyed by thousands, who never feel even con- 
yiction. Individuals the most highly favored with religious 
privileges, are often the most hardened in sin. Noah was a 
preacher of righteousness ; faithfully, it is presumed, did he 
warn the people with whom he dwelt, but his labors were 
not very successful. Lot sought in vain to convince the citi- 
zens of the plain that danger was at hand ; he was regarded 
as a mocker. Such as heard the inspired prophets present the 
mercies and the terrors of the Lord, in numerous instances 
became more stubborn under what they heard. Nor did those 
favored with the instructions of Christ, and his apostles, re- 
ceive the new birth from the teachings upon which they 
attended. Solemn events, and memorable providences do not 
secure new hearts to the witnesses of them. The sudden 
death of a friend, in no instance regenerates the survivor. 
One may be exposed to death on a wrecked vessel for days, 
yet escape with as little religious feeling as he had when over- 
taken by danger. The miracles of Christ did not regenerate 
a soul. Men went away from beholding them with the same 
hearts as they possessed when they came, unless special grace 
was displayed in their behalf. Indeed, they returned more 
hostile to the truth than they had previously been. 

No person ever regenerated himself. Such an occurrence 
certainly has not taken place, if no one has power to do it. Is 
it within the capabilities of any fallen creature, to renew him- 
self? The question is not, whether every man has all the 
natural faculties requisite to constitute him a free, accountable, 
moral agent ; for such is the condition of every rational indi- 
vidual. Amid all the revolutions in the character of mankind, 
free agency and accountability are maintained by God, who 



GOD THE AUTHOR OF THE NEW BIRTH. 365 

will not permit man to lose either. Can the sinner become a 
saint, without the special aid of God ? To this question the 
answer is frankly and directly given in the negative. The re- 
newing of hearts is the work of God. Less power than his 
cannot perform it. 

We appeal to the experience of those, who have met with 
the change here contemplated. Christians are uniform in their 
testimony respecting the authorship of their new hearts ; and 
they would be shocked by an intimation that the praise does 
not all belong to God. The language of the Psalmist, whether 
it primarily refers to this subject or not, expresses their own 
feelings in regard to it : " He brought me up also out of an 
horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock 
and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in 
my mouth, even praise unto our God." Ps. 40 : 2, 3. Augus- 
tin tells us, that before he was brought out of darkness, he 
found the corruption of his own heart such as to baffle all 
efforts of his own, and that he despaired of relief from himself. 
Halyburton, who became eminent as a minister of the gospel 
and as a professor of divinity in Scotland, after striving for a 
long time to no purpose to obtain peace and holiness by his 
own efforts, observes : " Woful experience obliges me to ac- 
knowledge to my shame, that I never looked towards the 
Lord's way except when he drew me." Of his regeneration he 
remarks, "It was what I sought not ; I thought not of; I liked 
not ; yea, it was what I hated, feared, avoided, opposed. The 
work was carried on by the secret, indiscernible power of Him, 
who is like the wind, blowing where it listeth." David Brain- 
erd says respecting himself : " I could contrive nothing for my 
own relief. I was brought quite to a stand, as finding myself 
utterly lost. I saw that it was forever impossible for me to do 
any thing toward helping or delivering myself." * The apostle 



* See Doct. Tract, No. 19. 
31* 



366 zion's pathway. 

Paul sums up the whole matter touching his own case, 
thus : " By the grace of God, I am what I am." 1 Cor. 
15 : 10. What Christian does not adopt this language as true 
of himself ? Few divines have been deemed more excellent in 
piety, than was Leigh ton. It is a sentiment advanced by him, 
that for the heart to renew itself, were as impossible as to 
have been the author of its own existence.* " I saw," remarks 
Andrew Fuller, " that God would be perfectly just in sending 
me to hell, and that to hell I must go, unless I were saved of 
mere grace, and as it were in spite of myself." " I tormented 
myself to death," states Luther, " to procure for my troubled 
heart and agitated conscience, peace in the presence of God, 
but encompassed in thick darkness, I no where found peace. 
It is in vain that I make promises to God ; sin is always too 
strong for me." One recently deceased, made this record of 
himself : " It seemed, if God had not determined to make me 
a vessel of mercy, my wicked heart never could be renewed." f 
Pages of like language might be filled from narratives, detail- 
ing the religious experience of believers. The same expres- 
sions are heard in the room of the departing saint. Every 
new convert to Christ ascribes his change to God. 

" Why was I made to hear his voice, 
And enter while there's room ? " 

The Scriptures explicitly teach, that to renew men is the 
work of God. We may consider Christ as inculcating this 
sentiment when he said to Peter, " If I wash thee not, thou 
hast no part with me." John 13 : 8. The washing intended, 
must have been moral, which is nothing less than heart 
renewal. It is said to the Corinthians, in connection with a 
description of unholy persons of an abandoned character, 

* See p. 140 of this volume. t Prof. Fiske. 



GOD THE AUTHOR. OF THE NEW BIRTH. 367 

" And such were some of you ; but ye are washed ; but ye are 
sanctified ; but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, 
and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Cor. 6 r 1 11. The Holy 
Ghost speaks in the following manner to the Ephesians : 
" And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses 
and sins." Eph. 2:1. It is added : " And were by nature the 
children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in 
mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we 
were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ ; by 
grace are ye saved." 2 : 3, 4, 5. " For we are his work- 
manship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works." 2 : 10. 
In Col. 2 : 13 we read, "And you being dead in your sins, and 
the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together 
with him, having forgiven you all trespasses." Titus 3 : 5, 
has this form of Speech : " Not by works of righteousness 
which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us 
by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy 
Ghost." Other passages from the New Testament, and a 
variety of great clearness from the Old, might be adduced, if 
necessary. It is the uniform method of the Scriptures, to 
ascribe the commencement, increase, and continuance of holi- 
ness in man to God. 

The Mode of Renewal. 

We next proceed to notice the mode in which God renews 
men. But let the reader not misapprehend the point at which 
we aim. Our divine Master has said, that " the wind bloweth 
where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst 
not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth ; so is every one 
that is born of the Spirit." John 3 : 8. We inquire not for 
the exact mode by which divine agency operates in the re- 
newal of sinners, for this must be a profound mystery. Still, 
some facts are revealed in respect to it, and these we may, 
without presumption, examine. 



368 zion's pathway. 

1. God renews men by his Spirit ; or perhaps we should 
rather say, God the Spirit, renews them ; for it is the appro- 
priate work of the third person in the Trinity to perform this 
important office in the economy of grace. He is, we know, 
often mentioned as an influence sent forth by the Son, or by the 
Father ; and it is true that his office, in the mediatorial dis- 
pensation, is subordinate to those of the other persons in the 
Godhead. 

2. In the renewal of a sinner, his free agency is not de- 
stroyed, nor is there any interference with it. The Creator 
of the human soul so constituted it, that he can influence it, at 
pleasure, without in the least embarrassing free agency. How 
improbable that he should have given existence to intelligent, 
accountable beings, whose conduct and will he could not con- 
trol, unless he should first destroy their mental activity. Two 
facts are obvious, viz. : God does work in men, both to will 
and to do ; and yet he does not infringe upon the freedom of 
their choice. The first of these facts is abundantly asserted in 
the Scriptures ; the other is proved by consciousness. Here, 
we admit, that it is utterly beyond our ability to define fully 
how the human and the divine agencies cooperate. 

3. Divine truth has an important place in connection with 
the renewal of sinners. " Of his own will begat he us by the 
word of truth." This is the instrument of conviction, but not 
the efficient cause of conversion. " Being born again, not of 
corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, 
which liveth and abideth forever." One office of the Holy 
Spirit is to convince of sin, and for this end scriptural truth 
is indispensable. All the intellectual faculties are necessarily 
exercised in the life of devoted piety. The mind should al- 
ways be conversant with sacred truth. It is this which reveals 
the character of God ; exhibits the moral law and lays open 
the duties of man to his Maker. If, without divine truth, the 
sinner might be made to feel himself guilty, he could not know 



GOD THE AUTHOR OF THE NEW BIRTH. 369 

the precise character and degree of his ill desert. A great 
preparatory work is requisite, in order that a transgressor be 
made to realize the danger of his position, his need of help, 
and the source whence it must come ; and, in this service, divine 
instruction is needful. God intends, also, that all whom he 
constitutes new creatures, shall entertain exalted views of his 
work in them, and for this end he speaks in most explicit terms 
of its nature. The Scriptures abound with instruction on this 
point, and the Spirit impresses their weighty teachings upon 
the mind of the converted. Again ; the renewed are imme- 
diately turned from the error of their ways. Now, in break- 
ing off from sin, and in taking up the duties of righteousness, 
they must be regulated by the written word of God. We 
have the whole expressed thus : " The preaching of the cross 
is to them that perish, foolishness, but unto us, which are saved, 
it is the power of God." 1 Cor. 1:18. Truth cannot change 
a heart. Even the most eloquent presentations of it avail 
nothing toward salvation, when the Spirit does not attend it. 
"I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the in- 
crease. So then, neither is he that planteth, any thing, neither 
he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase." 1 Cor- 
3 : 6, 7. In renewing men, the Spirit is not dependent upon 
truth, but ordinarily he displays his saving power only where 
it is exhibited. The greater our fidelity in efforts to save oth- 
ers, if they are made in accordance with divine appointment, the 
more numerous will be the monuments of grace. It is rare for 
those to give evidence of having been born again, who are not 
under the influence of religious institutions. Such as wilfully 
neglect gospel privileges, generally bear the marks of repro- 
bation. 

4. The operations of the Spirit are directly on the heart, 
when he radically changes it. Unquestionably the Spirit has 
much to do about the heart, in numerous instances in which 
regeneration is not effected ; but the nature of that renewal 



370 zion's pathway. 

wrought in the sinner, also Scripture statements, show it to be 
a fact, that the Holy Ghost does act directly on the heart. It 
is a new heart, a new creation, that constitutes one a regene- 
rate person. The intellect needs no radical change ; the physi- 
cal nature of man does not require renovation. These are 
both suited to the service of God, provided they are controlled 
by sanctified affections. Why should the action of the Spirit 
be on the truth ? Does that demand regeneration ? Surely 
not. It is perfect. Shall we take the ground, that the whole 
office of the Holy Ghost is to present motives before the mind, 
and that in this way the sinner is influenced to become a new 
creature ? Such a view of his work implies no radical change 
in the subject. If motives can renew the heart, then it is not 
badly depraved. For they can do no more than to influence 
choice, which sways action. Therefore, if one is made right 
by motives, he is simply under some mistake, and not in a state 
of settled hostility to holiness. His alienation from God must 
be regarded rather as the result of unfavorable circumstances 
than of native rebellion. A sentiment that men are converted 
from the error of their ways, simply through the influence of 
motives, finds no support in the Scriptures, nor can it in any 
system of theology which rests upon them. The evil, which 
the Spirit seeks to remove, lies in the heart, and there must 
the remedy be applied. It is this which is " deceitful above 
all things and desperately wicked." The Holy Ghost under- 
takes to remove both the deceit and the wickedness. Of 
course, he must go where they are. Circumcision of the heart 
is a form of expression, appropriated by God himself to desig- 
nate the work of renewal. The thing done is likewise ex- 
pressed by the figure of taking away a heart of stone, and 
substituting a heart of flesh ; one that feels. A new disposition 
is implanted ; new affections, principles, desires and purposes 
are granted. The Spirit does not improve upon the moral 
state already existing, but lays a new foundation and rears a 
new superstructure, and all this takes place in the heart. 



GOD THE AUTHOR OF THE NEW BIRTH. 371 

5. The influences of the Spirit are, in every instance of 
renewal, so powerful as infallibly to secure the end designed. 
God never undertakes to save an individual, being himself un- 
certain of the result. Sinners cannot defeat his purpose, if he be 
determined to renew them. It is not improper to speak of irre- 
sistible grace. Should the language of Stephen be adduced as 
an objection to the term, " Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in 
heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost ; " our reply 
is, that those to whom he refers, were none of them regenerate 
persons. Of all the unregenerate, it is true that they resist 
the Spirit of God. It is equally true, that the regenerate 
have ceased to resist him, and the only point of controversy 
there can be, is this, whether the sinner ceases to resist the 
Spirit and then God renews him, or whether his ceasing is the 
consequence of renewal. Is not the carnal mind always array- 
ed against God ? Does not the unholy heart of necessity oppose 
Him ? So far is it from being true that the sinner ceases to 
resist the Spirit, before that holy Agent regenerates him, that 
the Spirit must give him a new heart, or he will persist in his 
course of opposition ; hence, when he has been made to yield 
the contest, his surrender shows him to be a new creature. 

6. Invariably those influences by which a sinner is renewed, 
are special. Connected with the means of grace are what 
may be termed, common operations of the Holy Ghost. If 
these were improved, the result would be most happy. God 
will be disposed to have mercy on those who cherish the gen- 
tler movings of his compassion. But these ordinary influences 
of the Spirit may be resisted ; they are, doubtless, in all cases. 
The charge which was brought against the Jews by that devout 
man styled the first Christian martyr, is equally valid against 
all hearers of the gospel who remain impenitent. It demands 
the special agency of the Spirit to regenerate the heart. 

7. Regeneration is an instantaneous change. Long may 
the Spirit strive with, a sinner, and in various ways guilt may 



372 zion's pathway. 

be exhibited to his mind ; but all which occurs of that nature 
is simply preparative, and no part of regeneration itself. For 
thousands of years, things were arranging for the coming of 
the Messiah, yet there was a first moment when he began to 
be an inhabitant of the earth. " The beginning of a thing 
cannot be progressive." What is not from eternity, must, at 
some fixed, definable point of time, enter upon existence. The 
new heart of any particular sinner has not always been in be- 
ing ; therefore, at a certain definite moment, it began to exist. 
Such a position would hold good, were we to allow that men 
became regenerate by degrees. For, take what point you 
please in one's progressive improvement, and it must be admit- 
ted that he is either regenerate or unregenerate ; he cannot 
be both at the same time. Somewhere along in the scale of 
advancement there must be a moment when he is not regen- 
erate, and a next, the very next, when he is regenerate. But 
the doctrine, that sinners become new creatures in Christ by 
degrees, is not in the inspired volume. Sanctification is pro- 
gressive ; but regeneration, the commencement of sanctifica- 
tion, is instantaneous. The child of God, like the infant, grows 
till he becomes a man. " God, who commanded the light to 
shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts to give the 
light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus 
Christ." 2 Cor. 4 : 6. In the original creation of light, the 
Almighty spake and it was done ; and thus it is, when the dark 
cell of the sinner's heart is illuminated with beams from the 
Sun of Righteousness. Total darkness is pierced, as in the 
twinkling of an eye, with a ray from heaven. 

8. In renewing men, God effects an enduring change in 
their moral natures. The gracious heart once imparted, is 
never withdrawn. "For the gifts and calling of God are 
without repentance." Rom. 11: 29. The divine purpose to 
renew, relates to all the necessary gifts subsequent to the 
imparting of the new heart. It includes justification, adoption, 



GOD THE AUTHOR OF THE NEW BIRTH. 373 

sanctification, and life eternal. What design could the 
Almighty have in regenerating a soul, that shall everlast- 
ingly perish ? Can he trifle with a creature so much as to 
give him a foretaste of heaven, and then allow him to fall into 
hell ? " He which hath begun a good work in you, will per- 
form it until the day of Jesus Christ." Phil. 1 : 6. Persons 
renewed by the Holy Ghost, will not be shut up in despair. 
God does not banish into outer darkness his own dear children. 
The disciples of Christ cannot spend their eternity with the 
servants of Satan. The prey once rescued from the destroyer, 
shall not return again to be devoured by him. Individuals 
who have learned to lisp the song of the redeemed, will not be 
left to wail with the damned. 

Wliy does God renew Persons t 

Some are regenerated, and others are not. Wherefore the 
difference? Shall we conclude, that he selects his candidates, 
from a certain description of character ? If so, why does he 
thus discriminate ? But are they not of all ranks and condi- 
tions ? Does not the Spirit proceed apparently without any 
regularity ? How often is the first made last, and the last 
first ! Who can form any conjecture as to what persons in a 
congregation will be made subjects of grace in the day of God's 
power, and who will be suffered to remain in the hardness of 
impenitency ? One is taken, another is left. There a parent is 
subdued, and his children are unaffected. Here the children 
all become disciples of Jesus, and both father and mother are 
unmoved. Bosom companions, too, are often thus spiritually 
divided. It may be observed, that the renewed are not con- 
stituted the recipients of saving grace on account of native 
goodness. Mankind are all without holiness by nature, and 
are children of wrath. " As in water, face answereth to face, 
so the heart of man to man." The prince and the prodigal 
32 



374 zion's pathway. 

are the same in the estimation of Him, who is no respecter of 
persons. Nor is it because of partiality in God, for he is not 
partial. This fact himself asserts, and we also have evidence 
to the same effect in the developments of his grace. There 
is such a confounding of all distinctions among men, as to prove 
the absence of favoritism. However we may speculate on 
this subject, the only conclusion to which revelation brings, is 
that God is influenced by a supreme respect to his own glory. 
" All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing ; and 
he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven and 
among the inhabitants of the earth ; and none can stay his 
hand, or say unto him, what dost thou ? " Dan. 4 : 35. " Of 
his own will begat he us." James 1 : 18. In conferring spe- 
cial gifts upon individuals or nations, God proceeds accord- 
ing to his own sovereign pleasure. " For he saith to Moses, 
I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have 
compassion on whom I will have compassion ; so then it is not 
of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that 
showeth mercy." Rom. 9 : 15, 16. In acting according to 
his own independent will, he has regard to the greatest display 
of his own perfections, and this end coincides with the 
best interests of his empire. " Thou art worthy, O Lord, to 
receive glory, and honor, and power ; for thou hast created all 
things, and for thy pleasure they are, and were created." Rev. 
4: 11. The ultimate end of whatever the Most High has 
done in the kingdoms of nature, providence and grace has 
been to exhibit divine excellence. Any other object would 
have been unworthy of the Almighty. The same design that 
has guided him will continue to do it forever, and the more the 
glory of God is illustrated, so much is the holiness, the happi- 
ness, and the highest good of the universe promoted. The 
number of the regenerate will be according to the requirements 
of this great ultimate end of creation and redemption. Jeho- 
vah is not restricted by a want of power. He does not pass 



GOD THE AUTHOR OP THE NEW BIRTH. 375 

by some because he cannot subdue them, for all are in his 
hands. No limits bound the displays of regenerating grace, 
except such as are fixed in view of the eternal lustre of his 
name. The doctrine contemplated in the article before us 
lays the axe at the root of the schemes of self-righteousness. 
No man is a friend of God, because of an illustrious origin, 
or because he is distinguished for talent ; nor is he so on ac- 
count of wealth or learning. The sons and daughters of the 
Lord have become such in consequence of interposing sove- 
reign grace. Let them ascribe all the praise to the eternal 
God. 

" Then let our souls adore our God, 

Who deals his graces as he please ; 

Nor gives to mortals an account, 

Or of his actions or decrees." 

Many a rebellious heart may rise up in hostility to the sen- 
timents here advanced. But will the truth be affected by a 
phenomenon of this sort ? Not at all. One thing is often, I 
say not always, fairly inferable, when the doctrine of divine 
sovereignty in the renewal of sinners is opposed. Those 
manifesting such hostility are yet heirs of hell. Impenitent 
persons do not love to think that it lies wholly with God, 
whether they are born again or not. Urge upon their atten- 
tion the inspired declaration, " Therefore hath he mercy on 
whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth;" 
and they indignantly demand, " Why doth he yet find fault, 
for who hath resisted his will ? " In reply, we have only to 
repeat the words of one whom the Holy Ghost taught how to 
meet such a cavil. " Nay, but man, who art thou that re- 
pliest against God ? Shall the thing formed say to him that 
formed it, why hast thou made me thus ? " Rom. 9 : 20. 
Let all who do not wish the question of their salvation or 
eternal ruin to be settled by Jehovah, obtain otherwise than 
through his grace, deliverance from merited wrath, if it be 



376 zion's pathway. 

possible. But they may be assured that their hostility to the 
doctrine which is here laid before them, will not induce the 
Almighty to form them into vessels of mercy. 

" May not the sovereign Lord on high 
Dispense his favors as he will, 
Choose some to life, while others die, 
And yet he just and gracious still ? 

" Shall man reply against the Lord, 
And call his Maker's ways unjust ; 
The thunder of whose dreadful word, 
Can crush a thousand worlds to dust? " 



THE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION * 

No one conversant with the sacred volume, can be unac- 
quainted with the fact, that it contains a doctrine of election. 
We read of elect angels, and Christ is denominated elect. 
Israel was an elect people. According to the sincere and 
decided belief of many Christians, there is in the Scriptures, 
what may be designated the doctrine of election. It is my 
purpose now to contemplate this article of faith ; showing, 
first, what it is not, and then what it is, as revealed in the ora- 
cles of God. 

What it is not. 

It is not fatalism. Such, however, is the opinion of it 
entertained by some. They suppose it to deal out salvation 
or damnation without the least regard to personal character. 
One class inherit life everlasting, simply because they were 
elected, and those of another are driven into outer darkness 
for the sole reason that they were not of the elect. Individ- 
uals imbibing such ideas of this doctrine are quite mistaken ; 



* No. 8 of the Doct. Tracts contains a very ahle discussion of this doctrine. 



THE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION. 377 

since fatalism is not an item in the creed of the Orthodox, 
though the doctrine of election is embraced by great numbers 
of the most eminent followers of Jesus ; and by those, too, 
who entertain very impressive views of human responsibility. 
The strongest defenders of this doctrine are generally the most 
consistently active in the service of Christ. Augustin and 
Calvin, those champions of the cross, whose labors were ex- 
ceedingly great and preeminently owned of the Holy Spirit, 
were firmly established in the belief of the doctrine under dis- 
cussion. Whitefield strenuously contended for it. Writing to 
one with whom he had a controversy respecting it, he says, 
" I am ten thousand times more convinced of it, if possible, 
than when I saw you last." He observes, " I never read any 
thing Calvin wrote ; my doctrine I had from Christ and his 
apostles." To a friend, Robert Hall once observed, " I be- 
lieve firmly in election." Among the early settlers of New 
England, were many decided advocates of the doctrine ; yea, 
those whose preaching and other pious labors laid the founda- 
tion of all that is truly excellent in this section of the world, 
maintained, undoubtingly, this article. And, verily, were that 
class of believers now removed entirely from these favored 
States, we fear that our beautiful heritage would soon revert 
back to heathenism. The standard religious works, which are 
employed by God as instruments in promoting the salvation 
of thousands, may I not say, of millions, are, the most of them, 
certainly the best of them, pervaded by this very doctrine. It 
may not appear in a technical form, but it is in them. This 
statement is true of the writings of Baxter, Bunyan, Dod- 
dridge, Matthew Henry, Thomas Scott, Chalmers, and a long 
list of others, on both sides of the Atlantic. Mr. Barnes 
affirms, that if the doctrine of election were not found in the 
Scriptures, " the scheme of revelation would be taken out from 
all the analogy of the world." He adds : " To us it seems, 
therefore, that they strike a blow of no ordinary violence and 
32* 



378 zion's pathway. 

boldness, who denounce the purposes of God, in the Bible, as 
dark, partial and malignant." This doctrine forms an article 
in the Episcopal church, and has been held by all the great 
lights in that denomination. 

Election does not teach or imply, that any are excluded 
from heaven, who seek admission in the way divinely ap- 
pointed. Christ died for all mankind, and by his death he 
removed every barrier to man's salvation, except what lies in 
human depravity. The gate of heaven is sufficiently opened, 
and the charter of redemption is comprehensive enough for 
the world to be saved, provided the terms of life eternal are 
universally embraced. Never did one humbly strive to enter 
into covenant with the Lord, and find himself repulsed because 
he was not elected. 

Again ; there is not in this doctrine, aught which clashes 
with the freeness of the gospel ; those holding the former, be- 
lieve in the latter ; nor are they inconsistent in so doing. To 
accuse them of blindness, or of maintaining contradictory 
positions, betokens a great want of candor on the part of those 
who bring the accusation ; yea, it involves them in the guilt 
of defaming the saints of the Most High. Still further, the 
doctrine of election does not teach that any will be saved 
merely on account of their being elected. Without holiness, 
no man shall see the Lord. It is frequently, though wickedly 
affirmed, that if the doctrine be true, those embraced in it 
will be saved whether they repent or not. Indeed, it is de- 
clared by its opponents to be of no consequence what the elect- 
ed do, or neglect. Be it remembered that certain facts are 
revealed in the word of God, which can never be set aside by 
any philosophical speculations. One of these is, that the new 
birth is indispensable to entering heaven ; and another is, that 
the regenerate will not be saved, if they do not persevere in 
the divine life. Crowns of glory are in reserve for none who 
do not prove faithful unto death. If any of the elect come 



THE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION. 379 

short in this respect, they must perish, notwithstanding their 
election. At the final day, the destiny of each will be deter- 
mined, not by this or that doctrine, but by the character 
possessed. It is the righteous that are saved, and it is the 
wicked who are damned. The holy are welcomed into the 
kingdom of glory, and the unholy are driven into darkness 
and despair. 

It is proper to observe, also, that the doctrine of election 
gives no countenance whatever to a neglect of the means of 
grace. Whoever despises these gracious provisions, must reap 
the fruit of his folly in groans that end not, and in tears that 
avail not. In sacred, not less than in secular concerns, means 
and ends are inseparably connected. "Be not deceived ; God 
is not mocked ; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also 
reap." 

What it is. 

Certain preliminaries here require attention. Mankind are 
in a fallen state ; their depravity is deep and native. All are 
under condemnation, and to deliver themselves is beyond their 
power. No one can redeem himself, or do aught to merit the 
favor of God. Uninfluenced, except by the goodness of his 
own nature, Jehovah provided a Saviour. He so compassion- 
ated the world that he sent his Son to die for it, and in the 
expiation which was then made, obstacles which in themselves 
were insurmountable, and would have forever shut the sinner 
out from God's complacence and compassion, were entirely 
taken away. Salvation is sincerely and freely offered to all 
mankind. No class or individual is excepted. Terms more un- 
restricted than are those contained in the gospel, there cannot be ; 
and naught but the perversity of the guilty prevents their being 
accepted. " As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure 
in the death of the wicked ; but that the wicked turn from his 
way and live. ' Who will dare question the veracity of the Al- 



380 zion's pathway. 

mighty, thus confirmed by an oath ? How tender and earnest are 
his calls upon the rebellious to submit themselves to him ! Christ 
in unqualified terms, seeks to allure to himself the perishing, 
assuring them, that whosoever comes unto him, he will receive. 
Still it is an established fact, that the salvation provided by 
sovereign mercy does not meet a cordial reception among sin- 
ners. It is a point settled, that no one, left to himself, takes 
hold of the divine provision. The benevolent arrangements 
of the Most High are neglected, yea, despised, not because of 
a deficiency in the natural ability of human beings, but for the 
simple reason that they are not relished by the heart. " Ye 
will not come to me that ye might have life." And in still 
stronger language, the same truth is set forth by him whose 
lips never uttered error. " No man can come to me, except 
the Father, which hath sent me, draw him." 

With these preparative suggestions, all of which must com- 
mend themselves to the candid mind, and which are also 
illustrated by observation and experience, I proceed to a 
direct presentation of what the doctrine is. 

1. While sinners, every where, naturally reject the offers 
of mercy, those terms of reconciliation with God through 
Christ, some, nevertheless, do accept them. Wherever the 
gospel is preached, individuals are melted, subdued, and do 
present pleasing evidence of having become savingly inter- 
ested in religion. In other words, they appear to have been 
born again. The difference between them, and people in 
general, is striking ; and their subsequent life exhibits a 
marked contrast with what it had previously been. Once, 
they were carnal, but now are spiritual. The will of God has 
become their adopted rule of duty. In all such apparent cases 
if the change be real, it is permanent, and is the result of the 
special operations of the Holy Spirit in the heart. 

Those, thus renewed, are chosen of God to receive the 
blessing bestowed ; for the regenerating Spirit goes only 



THE DOCTBINE OF ELECTION. 381 

where lie is commissioned by the Father and the Son ; and 
these proceed in accordance with a perfect plan. Every 
instance of conviction and conversion, is the result of a divine 
purpose. If there be a purpose including a great number, 
they all will, in due time, be made to bow humbly at the foot- 
stool of mercy. Not one embraced in the merciful designs of 
Jehovah will be omitted, when the "jewels " are made up. 

2. Such as become the recipients of sanctifying grace, are 
not chosen on account of any qualities inherent in themselves. 
Morally, all men are by nature alike, being destitute of holi- 
ness, and opposed to the Almighty. Intellectually, the monu- 
ments of mercy present as great a diversity as do those who 
continue aliens from God. The subjects of the Spirit's opera- 
tions are truly diversified in their worldly circumstances, and 
in their mental lineaments. Among the monuments of grace, 
there have been not a few who once ranked as the worst 
opposers of religion. " Where sin abounded, grace did much 
more abound." " The elect are not chosen because they are 
better, but that they might be better." Jehovah is influenced 
by a regard to his own glory, in every step which he causes 
to be effective toward the salvation of individuals, and he, 
" out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some 
to everlasting life." 

3. All who are renewed, God eternally purposed to conform 
to the image of his Son. Whatever he now does, he always 
intended should be performed, just as the event takes place. 
His thoughts never change ; his plans are never remodelled. 
With him there is only an eternal now ; so that it may be 
correctly affirmed in regard to him, he is no older at this hour 
than he was infinite ages since; nor will he be at any point of 
the endless future. Time measurers have no relevancy to 
eternity. 

What gives to the purpose of Jehovah, in regard to the sal- 
vation of individuals, that peculiar repulsiveness which it has, 



382 zion's pathway. 

as the subject is contemplated by some minds, appears to be 
the eternity of it. But whatever God does, is from eternity. 
Nothing originates with Him in time. Our existence, and all 
the circumstances of it, were present to Him myriads of ages 
before we actually came into being. We are not to suppose 
that divine decrees are limited to one particular. "For his 
own glory He hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass." 

The doctrine of election may, then, be succinctly stated thus : 
God had a purpose to renew, sanctify, and save some of Adam's 
lost race ; this purpose is eternal, and extends to every one 
who shall finally be an heir of salvation. By it none are ex- 
cluded from heaven, for all will perish if left to themselves. 
Election does not rest upon any real or supposed good, in the 
subjects of it ; they are no better by nature or by practice, 
before they are transformed by the Holy Ghost, than are the 
non-elect. " Those whom God predestinated to eternal life, he 
also predestinated to saving grace ;" otherwise they would abide 
in unbelief, for " the Scriptures every where represent the elect 
before their conversion as being in the same guilty and perish- 
ing state as the non-elect." 

That the doctrine now explained ought to be received, if it 
be true, who will deny ? And that it is true, if the Bible con- 
tain it, all that acknowledge the inspiration of this book must 
admit. 

The Doctrine established by the Scriptures. 

I shall adduce a variety of phraseology, bearing more or 
less directly on the subject. Christ, predicting a time of great 
distress, says, "And except those days should be shortened, 
there should no flesh be saved ; but for the elect's sake, those 
days shall be shortened." Matt. 24 : 22. And in close con- 
nection with this passage, occurs the following : " For there 
shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show great 



THE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION. 383 

signs and wonders ; insomuch that if it were possible, they 
shall deceive the very elect." Matt. 24 : 24. In the same chapter 
is this statement, " He shall send his angels with a great sound 
of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the 
four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." Matt. 24:31. 
In Luke 18 : 7, we read, "And shall not God avenge his own 
elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long 
with them ? " Rom. 8:33, contains' this question, "Who shall 
lay any thing to the charge of God's elect ? " Addressing the 
Colossians, an inspired apostle exhorts them " to put on, as the 
elect of God, bowels of mercies, kindness," etc. This same 
apostle speaks of himself in another place as " enduring all 
things for the elect's sake," 2 Tim. 2: 10; and again as an 
apostle, " according to the faith of God's elect." Tit. 1:1. The 
first epistle of Peter is sent to the " elect according to the fore- 
knowledge of God." 1 Pet. 1 : 2. These are some of the in- 
stances in which the term elect occurs. Now if there be a class 
of elect persons, then there must have been an election. Hence 
we find the Scriptures speaking of it. " That the purpose of 
God according to election might stand, not of works, but of 
him that calleth." Rom. 9:11. " Even so, then, at this pres- 
ent time also, these is a remnant according to the election of 
grace." Rom. 11 : 5. " Israel hath not obtained that which he 
seeketh for, but the election hath obtained it and the rest were 
blinded." Verse 7. The justification which the Lord's nomi- 
nal people had sought in vain by works, is secured to the elect 
by the gracious purpose of God. "As touching the election, they 
are beloved for the fathers' sakes." Rom. 11: 28. "We give 
thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in 
our prayers ; " " knowing, brethren beloved, your election of 
God." 1 Thess. 1 : 2, 4. Do not the texts now cited prove 
conclusively, that the subject under discussion was familiar to 
the minds of the New Testament writers ? That the Bible 
contains the doctrine in some form " is so palpable, that to 



384 zion's pathway. 

deny it would be equivalent to the rejection of divine testi- 
mony." And in regard to the doctrine, one has well observed, 
" if it be not revealed, we think it impossible that it could be 
revealed in any language." What sentiment is more clearly 
expressed ? 

Election is Personal. 

It is evident from Scripture, that the elect are individu- 
als, and that their election is personal. Facts prove that some 
nations, and smaller communities, are chosen to peculiar privi- 
leges, but particular persons are elected to eternal life, and 
their election is denominated foreordination and predestination. 
" For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be 
conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first- 
born among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predes- 
tinate, them he also called ; and whom he called, them he also 
justified ; and whom he justified, them he also glorified." Rom. 
8 : 29, 30. Here is a golden chain extending from foreordi- 
nation to glorification, with its several links distinctly marked. 

Corresponding with the preceding, is the following : rt Bles- 
sed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who 
hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places 
in Christ, according as he hath chosen us in him before the 
foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without 
blame before him in love, having predestinate J us unto the adop- 
tion of children ; " " being predestinated according to the pur- 
pose of him, who worketh all things after the counsel of his 
own will." Eph. 1 : 3, 4, 5, 11. It is here affirmed, that 
individuals are chosen that they should become holy, and not 
because of holiness in them. Conformity to the divine will is 
a consequent upon election, and not the occasion of it, as some 
argue. Predestination is said to be in conformity to the good 
pleasure of God, whose will is the mainspring of all his 
purposes. 



THE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION. 385 

The sentiment that God elects individuals to eternal life, on 
account of some excellence already possessed by them, or as 
foreseen to exist at some future time, does not harmonize with 
the teachings of inspiration. The holy are heirs of heaven 
without being elected ; that world is their home, as matter of 
course. Only those, however, are sanctified, who have been 
elected. It is true of all whom the Spirit renews, that there 
was a divine decree to that effect, and this decree was eternal, 
and founded in the free, independent, sovereign will of the 
Lord. Had no plan been formed in the infinite Mind, to res- 
cue from the dominion of sin any of the ruined race of man, 
not one would be saved ; since all, when left to them- 
selves, prefer the way of death to that of life. They shun 
heaven, and rush to hell. Personal election, so explicitly 
taught by particular passages of the Bible, is implied in every 
part of it. Salvation is uniformly presented as entirely of 
God. Human merit is such an amount of ill desert as de- 
mands of justice eternal banishment from blessedness into end- 
less burnings. The experience of all true and enlightened 
believers harmonizes with the teachings of inspiration. It is 
plain to the meek Christian, that if God had not mercifully 
interposed for him, he should have perished in unbelief. Of 
all the saints it is certain, that the first step towards their 
renewal was not taken by themselves. Nor would any of the 
efforts which they have since put forth, have succeeded that 
moving influence of the Spirit, had not grace secured them. 
No one asks for a new heart, till the Holy Ghost creates the 
desire, and impels to the offering of a prayer, that it may be 
imparted. " By the grace of God I am what I am." — " Not 
by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according 
to his mercy he saved us." Such are spontaneous acknowledg- 
ments from the intelligent and devout of every country and clime. 

We may find an analogy to this doctrine in the providential 
government of God. Each day affords evidence that the 
33 



386 zion's pathway. 

divine decrees relate to all events. The Almighty is ever ac- 
complishing his own purposes, causing creatures and things to 
reflect his glory, and what he now brings about he eternally 
planned. What multitudes of elections there are yearly set 
before us. Here one is raised from obscurity to fill a high station, 
whereas, had not a special providence shaped his course, his 
name would never have been heard beyond the scenes of his 
nativity. Some are chosen to inherit great riches, while others 
are left in abject poverty. A class are elected to live to more 
than fourscore years, yet millions die in childhood ; yet all are 
subjects of the Lord's purposes. Mental endowments lodge in 
human souls, not by chance, but in harmony with the will of 
Him, who gives or withholds, raises up or casts down. Jeho- 
vah's present proceedings were eternally determined by him. 
He has a providential control of the world, and his " works of 
providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving 
and governing all his creatures, and all their actions." Whether 
we are pleased or not with God's entire and absolute sway in 
the world, he exercises it. 

Thus the doctrine of election is distinctly and fully estab- 
lished by the Scriptures ; it is also illustrated in the experi- 
ence of enlightened believers, and, moreover, has an analogy 
in the dealings of the Most High with his rational creatures, 
in respect to all their interests on earth. 

A Word to its Opposers. 

A truth so solemn and so intimately connected with the 
present and future destiny of mankind, cannot be wholly desti- 
tute of a practical bearing ; and we must conclude that opposi- 
tion to it is really, if not intentionally, arrayed against its 
author — God. That almost blasphemous language, which is 
sometimes uttered concerning it, is contempt of an infinitely 
benevolent plan of Jehovah. Shall we say it, ridicule is 



THE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION. 387 

employed to bring the doctrine of election into reproach. 
Woe to those who strive against their Maker with such a 
weapon ! We hope it may be said of them, " they know not 
what they do." If, however, they act understandingly, then 
do they exhibit manifest tokens that themselves are repro- 
bates ! Let this doctrine be met by its rejecters, on scriptural 
grounds. Cavilling at sacred truth is a direct method of pro- 
curing a fearful condemnation for the guilty. The facts in- 
volved in this article of faith will stand in spite of all efforts 
to annihilate them or weaken their power. " Future scenes 
shall reveal their unchanging verity, in signals hung out from 
the rending earth and the blackened heavens." God will vin- 
dicate his purposes, and overwhelm in endless woe the proud 
despisers of his electing love. 

The opponents of election are thrown into an affecting 
dilemma. If they regard themselves as Christians, and if 
they be truly such, then are they arrayed against the very 
scheme of divine goodness by which they have been translated 
out of darkness into the kingdom of Christ ; yea, they are con- 
troverting a point, the truth of which their own conversion 
seems to confirm. What but election brought them into the 
fold ? If they be not Christians, their hostility is aimed at a 
doctrine which furnishes the only ground of hope that they 
will ever become the followers of Jesus. Surely, their love 
of sin is so great, that they will die in its embrace if not 
snatched from it by Omnipotence. 

With deep seriousness I would propose the question, and 
urge its consideration : To whom should the saved give the 
glory of their salvation ? According to the doctrine of elec- 
tion, it belongs solely to Jehovah ; but why may not man, in 
part, at least, claim it, if this doctrine be discarded ? Let its 
rejecters prepare paeans to sing in praise of themselves ! Ah, 
we ask them first to pause and inquire where they can stand 
in heaven and exult in their own glory ? The Scriptures do 



388 zion's pathway. 

not intimate that any from earth will enter the New Jerusa- 
lem, who cannot and will not ascribe all good in them to 
unmerited mercy. Are we told that none think of detract- 
ing from the honor of Jehovah ? Do the rejecters of election 
say that themselves, equally with its receivers, admit that 
eternal life is entirely of free grace ? Then do we reply, that 
their rejection of the doctrine is unreasonable, and, viewed in 
their own light, their course seems to involve self-contradic- 
tions. Whoever acknowledges himself indebted wholly to the 
grace of God for salvation, avows, by implication, all which 
is contained in the doctrine of election. I question whether 
an acceptable prayer was ever offered to the Lord, in which 
there were not admissions inclusive of it. 

Humble disciples of the meek and lowly Jesus will not be 
apt to express themselves rashly concerning a truth which 
their Master frequently inculcated. Christ preached election, 
and rejoiced in it greatly. " At that time Jesus answered and 
said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, be- 
cause thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, 
and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father, for so 
it seemed good in thy sight." He assured his hearers, that 
divine favors are dispensed just as the will of God decides ; 
that " the last shall be first and the first last," that " many be 
called but few chosen." The believer, if he understand at 
all the nature of sin, cannot but attribute to free and sovereign 
grace, his hope of heaven, and, in doing this, he virtually and 
of necessity, acknowledges as true, the elements of this much 
despised, yet important doctrine. 

What occasion have the impenitent to thank the Lord that 
he has a purpose of mercy for any of their number? for, if 
they be left to their own sinful choice, perish they must. Sal- 
vation they will never secure, while not drawn by the Father. 
But admitting the truth of this doctrine, it is possible that the 
compassionate designs of the Holy One embrace their souls. 



THE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION. 389 



Certain Objections. 

I cannot conclude this discussion, without alluding more 
definitely to certain objections which are made to the doctrine 
of election. Scarcely any topic to which the pulpit or the 
press directs attention, is more violently assailed than is the 
one before us. Some insist that it exhibits God as partial in 
the bestowment of his grace. To this objection, our answer 
is, that God declares himself to be no respecter of persons. 
He discriminates and makes distinctions among his creatures ; 
but in so doing, he is unjust to none. Every mouth will be 
stopped at the judgment bar, and none should now dare to 
reply against God ! Thy probation, sinner, was given thee, 
not to pour the venom of thy heart upon that wonderful 
scheme by which heaven is to be filled with adoring saints. 
God is righteous ; thou art unrighteous. Submit to him, and 
thou shalt be saved ; resist him, and he may leave thee to 
drink of the cup of his indignation forever. Bow at once 
before Him whose sovereignty may save thee from hell, or 
give thee over to the horrors of the second death, which thou 
dost now deserve. I should as soon think of trampling under 
foot any other portions of the sacred volume, as those which 
teach and illustrate the doctrine of election. My only hope 
of success in the gospel ministry is founded on the belief, that 
God has an eternal purpose of mercy toward, at least, some 
of those to whom he has commissioned me to preach. I know 
that it is not in human skill or power to prepare a child of 
Adam for heaven. Those who listen to my voice will not 
come to Christ, unless influenced from above, nor will they be 
graciously drawn if there be no divine purpose to that effect. 
O mighty Jehovah ! thou knowest that thy servants who speak 
in thy name are shut up to one hope, and that their hearts must 
sink within them if that cannot be indulged. Encouraged by 
33* 



390 zion's pathway. 

it, they can cheerfully enter the valley of dry bones and 
prophesy upon the slain, for thou canst raise up a vast army of 
believers from the most unpromising subjects. 

I must warn those, coveting the name of Orthodox Chris- 
tians, to beware how they treat the doctrine of election. Often 
has it been cast as a stigma upon the heaven-honored band 
with whom they are united. As if its advocates were dupes, 
or the lowest of rational creatures, they are denounced as un- 
worthy the name of disciples. Associated with the libellous 
assertion, that we believe in infant damnation, the term elec- 
tion has been hurled upon us, as if it were a thunderbolt that 
must crush us forever. No man is truly orthodox, who does 
not, in heart, receive all which election implies. Intellect may 
be weak or confused. Babes there are in Christ, but they 
are elected babes. We will not reject them, though they must 
be fed with milk and not with strong meat. We will utter no 
anathemas against the disbelievers of election, but will indulge 
with comfort the hope that even they may be among the elect. 

HUMAN AND DIVINE AGENCIES ARE COOPERATIVE. 

Truths do not mutually conflict ; facts are never really at 
variance one with another, though they may often be so in 
appearance. Man is a free accountable agent, and God is an 
absolute sovereign. Both of these positions assert immutable 
facts. Some persons, not being able to perceive how there can 
be two such facts, deny one or the other, giving over to 
nothingness this or that, just as their feelings incline them at 
the particular time, when their minds are exercised in relation 
to the subject. I shall here attempt to illustrate this propo- 
sition : In the salvation of an individual, his own agency, and 
that of God, cooperate. 

I. In the salvation of an individual, his own agency is 
exercised. I argue, first, from the nature of the case. Salva- 



HUMAN AND DIVINE AGENCIES ARE COOPERATIVE. 391 

tion is something, as the proposition implies, to be obtained. 
It is the great acquisition for which an immortal being should 
strive. Eternal life is a theme to which no considerate mind 
can be indifferent. Let one be awakened to a sense of his 
danger as a sinner, and he cannot be inactive. Now, none are 
saved without being made to feel, to some extent, their peril. 
A glimpse of one's own exposure to hell, will start into action 
every energy of his immortal spirit ; yet no sinner is saved, 
who has not had some sense of his awful condition. It always 
appears to the awakened, that they have a great work to 
perform, and they cannot be quiet ; each will ask, What must 
I do to be saved ? They cannot but exert themselves to obtain 
salvation. 

I argue, secondly, from analogy. Our choicest blessings, or 
those attainments which we value most, are procured by great 
effort. Industry is necessary to subsistence ; or if not actually 
essential for this, it is to any rational enjoyment. What real 
satisfaction is there, without toil ? Sleep and sumptuous fare 
will not secure even terrestrial happiness. Hard labor is 
required, in order that our couch comfort us, and our food 
benefit us. Knowledge can be acquired only by dint of 
persevering effort. Wealth is the result, usually, of much 
endurance. No art or science can be acquired without earnest 
and long continued exertions. Is every thing else valuable, 
to be procured only by great zeal, and the most strenuous 
aims, and shall the pearl of infinite price call for no action, 
no awakening of the mind ? Is it not natural to conclude, 
that the crown of glory can be won only by those who agonize 
for it ? Can the plaudit, " Well done, thou good and faithful 
servant," ever be pronounced on one who has not diligently 
exerted himself? 

I argue, thirdly, from the Scriptures. They address the 
sinner in a way that shows clearly his part in securing salva- 
tion. He is called upon to repent, and is assured if he do not, 



392 zion's pathway. 

he must perish. No other being can repent for the transgressor. 
God and his angels may feel compassion for him, but they 
cannot exercise penitence for him ; that is a duty which him- 
self must discharge, or it will remain unperformed. Godly 
sorrow for transgression is peculiar to those who are guilty ; 
none others can feel it. Not only is repentance a duty, but it 
is the sinner's first duty. While it is neglected, no service can 
be rendered to the Lord. That is his earliest step in the path 
of obedience, and it belongs, in all cases, to the guilty. I 
speak not now of the efficient cause, but of the act itself. 

Again, faith in Christ must be exercised, in order to salva- 
tion, and it is the individual who must believe for himself; no 
other person can do it in his place. It is not possible for Jeho- 
vah to accept a substitute. He that believeth not, shall be 
damned. There are also many practical duties, so binding, 
that they cannot be omitted without perilling the soul ; as for 
instance, the renewed must acknowledge Christ before the 
world. Individuals are required to perform this act for them- 
selves. Each has a responsibility, which he only is able to 
discharge. Though ten thousand others avow publicly their 
adherence to Christ, what they do, in no degree releases any 
person beside from doing the same thing. " Whosoever, there- 
fore, shall confess me before men, him will I confess also 
before my Father, which is in heaven." Matt. 10 : 32. When 
a public profession of religion has been made, the obligations 
of a church member are assumed. These are solemn, and 
cannot be cast off. " Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I 
command you." John 15 : 14. "And cast ye the unprofit- 
able servant into outer darkness ; there shall be weeping and 
gnashing of teeth." Matt. 25 : 30. To the great Head of 
the Church, each must give account for himself. Neglect of 
any precept, a failure in respect to the right use of a talent 
cannot be overlooked by him who says, " Occupy till I come." 
New creatures in Christ must persevere in all the branches of 



HUMAN AND DIVINE AGENCIES ARE COOPERATIVE. 393 

religious requirements. Each is to press onward for himself; 
one is not authorized to do it for another. Substitution is un- 
known in the responsibilities of the Redeemer's family. " He, 
that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." 
Matt. 24 : 13. " Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give 
thee a crown of life." Rev. 2: 10. "Work out your own 
salvation with fear and trembling." Phil. 2 : 12. The ob- 
taining of eternal life is likened to a pilgrimage, a race, a war- 
fare. Zeal, never-dying, and efforts which never slacken, are 
requisite. The slothful perish. We must agonize, or not 
enter the kingdom ; we must fight, in order to win the prize. 

2. The agency of God is exercised in the salvation of each 
individual saved. Without divine influences, none are saved. 
Such is the power of sin, so entirely are mankind under its 
control, that where divine efficiency does not interpose, the 
soul remains a willing slave. " They will not frame their 
doings to turn unto their God." Hos. 5:4. " And ye will 
not come to me, that ye might have life." John 5 : 40. So 
deep rooted, so inveterate is sin, the subjects of it are so en- 
tirely bound by it, that Christ says, " No man can come to me, 
except the Father, which hath sent me, draw him." John 6 : 
44. While every obstacle lying in the way of the sinner's 
salvation, arising from the law of God, has been obviated in 
the atonement by Christ, there are other hindrances originat- 
ing in human corruption. Not even a resolution is formed to 
abandon any of the paths of wickedness, till the Holy Spirit 
excites to it. Emotions of grief are not felt before the ener- 
gies of the Lord cause them. Nor are the Scriptures duly 
estimated, till their value is exhibited by him who inspired 
them. However much they may be prized on account of their 
civil and literary influence, their holy requirements and their 
positive prohibitions are naturally abhorred. " The carnal 
mind is enmity against God ; for it is not subject to the law of 
God, neither indeed can be. So then, they that are in the 



394 zion's pathway. 

flesh, cannot please God." Rom. 8 : 7, 8. The agency of 
God is employed from the first step onward through all the 
subsequent stages, till the soul is wholly sanctified and admit- 
ted into heaven. The renewal of the sinner is peculiarly and 
entirely the work of the Spirit, by whom all the regenerate 
have been renovated. Of this fact, themselves are confident ; 
they know that they are indebted to sovereign grace for the 
commencement of holiness in their hearts. " Not by works of 
righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy 
he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renew- 
ing of the Holy Ghost." Titus 3 : 5. Faith is the gift of 
God ; so are all the graces which flow from the new creation. 
" Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give 
glory." Ps. 115:1. " Not that we are sufficient of ourselves 
to think any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of 
God." 2 Cor. 3:5. " For I know that in me, that is in my 
flesh, dwelleth no good thing." Rom. 7 : 18. Salvation is 
wholly of grace. 

" Grace led my roving feet 

To tread the heavenly road ; 
And new supplies each hour I meet, 

While pressing on to God." 

3. These two agencies, the human and the divine, cooperate 
in respect to every individual saved. Both, we have seen, are 
called into exercise ; each is necessary, indispensable, and we 
know that they cooperate, for they harmoniously tend to one 
result. Yet one must be regarded as the prime mover. The 
efforts of one excite the other. Which is first ? Can there 
be any doubt in respect to the point ? Is the sinner dead in 
sin, and does he exhibit signs of life before the power of God 
is felt ? Reason surely cannot be in doubt as to the answer. 
The sinner in no case moves in the work of his salvation, till 
the Spirit influences him. We are not considering what he 



HUMAN AND DIVINE AGENCIES ARE COOPERATIVE. 395 

ought to do, but what is the actual state of the case. Verily, 
every man should seek the Lord with all the heart ; yet no 
one does seek him at all, except he be influenced from above. 
God is the first and the efficient cause of all the steps in the 
return of the sinner from his wanderings. But, though the 
divine agency be earliest, the human is soon in operation. 
The time intervening between divine interposition and action 
on the sinner's part, is doubtless too short to be calculated. 
The moment the Spirit touches the heart, the latter feels. Re- 
generation itself is an instantaneous change ; of course, the 
subject of it is not in a state of dormancy, for the renewed 
immediately begin a life of holiness, and leave at once the 
paths of sin ; do not in the least linger. The Lord grants 
quickening grace, and the recipient instantly shows signs of 
being quickened. He is no sooner touched, than he manifests 
evidence of the fact. God convicts, and the sinner is convicted. 
Repentance is granted, and it is exercised. Faith is given by 
God, and the recipient believes. The Almighty turns the 
wanderer, and he turns. Being drawn, the sinner runs to 
Christ. In all respects, the two agencies cooperate. The 
human would not move, did not the divine bring it into action ; 
and the divine will not benefit, if the human do not unite with 
it. Moral beings are treated as free accountable agents in all 
the influences which God brings to bear upon them. Their 
activity is at no time destroyed by divine interposition. " It 
is the dictate of right reason, that no created being is capable 
of acting independently. Universal and absolute dependence 
goes into the very idea of a creature, because independence is 
an attribute of the divine nature, which even Omnipotence 
cannot communicate." Yet creatures are " able to act in the 
most free and voluntary manner, while they are acted upon by 
the immediate power and energy of the divine Being." Many 
start back with horror when their dependence upon God is 
declared ; but no gainsayings can annul a fact. Some may 



396 zion's pathway. 

insist that their freedom is destroyed ; but how could they be 
more free than they are ? Does not consciousness tell them 
that they have entire liberty of choice. Shall we be terror- 
struck at the announcement, that the Lord works in creatures 
both to will and to do ? Surely the pious rejoice in the fact. 
Were God to take away the free agency of the sinner, wherein 
would the latter be injured more than he is now by the abuse 
of it ? Suppose that for a short space of time this attribute 
of a human being should be annihilated. During that period, 
the sinner could not be accountable, and, of course, his case, 
in the judgment of God, would be in no wise more dreadful 
than if he had continued all that time active. Suppose, too, 
that on regaining his free agency, he should find that he had, 
during the interval, become a new creature in Christ, would 
not the gain be infinite ? Why do persons tremble so much 
lest their own free agency shall be trammelled ? It would be 
a mercy to millions were it destroyed, but it will not be 
lessened. 

The spiritual economy of God has an analogy in his opera- 
tions in the natural world. In him we live, move and have our 
being. We are dependent on him for existence, preservation, 
and every comfort. Literally, we can do nothing without him. 
The soils, the streams of water, the atmosphere, every thing 
proceed from him. Having the ground given us, we must till 
it ; yet our labors will not avail, if God do not grant the sun- 
shine and the shower. What man would ever behold a 
blossom in spring, a waving field in summer, or a ripening 
harvest in autumn, were it not that Jehovah produces them ? 
Still man's agency is employed, and is variously essential. 
The Almighty must go before him, and then go with him. 
Who can move about without illustrating the combination of 
two agencies, the human and the divine ? I will not affirm, 
that in respect to this subject, any analogy is perfect ; though 
it may be strikingly illustrative of important points in the 



HUMAN AND DIVINE AGENCIES ARE COOPERATIVE. 897 

system of grace. Our final appeal must be to the Scriptures, 
and in them we find these two agencies not only recognized, 
but represented as essential and cooperative. The Lord com- 
mands Israel thus : " Circumcise therefore your heart and be 
no more stiff-necked." Deut. 10 : 16. He also says, "The 
Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy 
seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with 
all thy soul, that thou mayst live." Deut. 30 : 6. The 
Psalmist observes, " I will run the way of thy commandments 
when thou shalt enlarge my heart." Ps. 119:32. "The 
preparations of the heart in man and the answer of the tongue, 
is from the Lord." Prov. 16:1. " You hath he quickened, 
who were dead in trespasses and sins." Eph. 2:1. "Awake, 
thou that sleepest, and rise from the dead, and Christ shall 
give thee light." Eph. 5 : 14. " Whatsoever thy hand fin deth 
to do, do it with thy might." Ecc. 9:10. " For without me, 
ye can do nothing." John 15 : 5. " Wherefore let him that 
thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall." 1 Cor. 10 : 12. 
" Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto sal- 
vation." 1 Pet. 1:5. " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, 
and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16 : 31. " For by grace are 
ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves ; it is the 
gift of God." Eph. 2:8. "Work out your own salvation 
with fear and trembling, for it is God which worketh in you 
both to will and to do of his good pleasure." Phil. 2:12, 13. 



Deductions. 

Thus does it appear, that in the salvation of an individual, 
his own agency and that of God cooperate. There are cer- 
tain deductions, which naturally follow from the preceding 
discussion. (1.) Those who are not working out their salvation 
with fear and trembling, cannot have entered the way to 
heaven. If the use of certain means be essential to the 

34: 



398 zion's pathway. 

securing of an end, a neglect to use them must be succeeded by 
a failure in respect to that end. Now it is manifest that no 
probationer can reach the heavenly city, without performing a 
pilgrimage thither. An immortal crown cannot be obtained, 
except by running the Christian race. Salvation is a problem 
to be worked out ; nor will the solution in any case be com- 
plete till the threshold of heaven has been passed. Whoever, 
therefore, is not toiling for the prize, has no prospect of its 
becoming his own. That eminent apostle, who was sent forth 
to be the champion of truth among the Gentiles, after having 
long preached and prayed, observed : " But I keep under my 
body and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means, 
when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast- 
away." 1 Cor. 9 : 27. (2.) It may be inferred that only those 
in whom God works both to will and to do of his good pleasure, 
attempt to secure their own salvation. True, all persons are 
most solemnly and unceasingly obligated to be entirely devoted 
to the Lord ; but they cast off fear, and will not frame their 
doings to turn unto their God, till influenced so to do, by the 
omnipotent agency of the Spirit. Nothing hinders them but 
sin. This, however, is an effectual barrier ; it disinclines them 
to the performance of any pious service. Hence the sinner's 
dependence on Jehovah for convicting and renewing grace, is 
absolute and unalterable. The impenitent, left to themselves, 
will never attempt to change their moral natures. If God do 
not convict them, they will remain unconvicted. Their flinty 
hearts will continue flinty forever, if not broken by the Holy 
Ghost. No one dead in sin, will arise to spiritual life, till 
quickened by the energies of the Spirit. The question, to 
whom are we indebted for salvation, is easily answered. 
Speculation in regard to it is unnecessary ; for one great fact 
in relation to it, stands out most conspicuously. The doctrine 
of dependence is fundamental in the gospel scheme of salva- 
tion. Would that every unrenewed person could see that his 



HUMAN AND DIVINE AGENCIES ARE COOPERATIVE. 399 

eternal destiny lies at the sovereign disposal of that God, 
whose law he has broken, and whose grace he has despised.* 
(3.) It is natural to infer, that those in whom God works to will 
and to do, will, in every case, work out their own salvation. 
The divine efficiency brought to bear upon the heart, will be 
the occasion of an effectual activity on the part of the subject. 
The regenerate do not go by compulsion in the way of obedi- 
ence, but they do go in that direction, being made willing in 
the day of God's power. No man can become the recipient 
of the Holy Ghost, and not zealously inquire, " Lord what 
wilt thou have me to do ? " That religion is worth nothing, 
which does not constrain the possessor to conform his life to 
the divine rule. (4.) Evidently those who believe that it de- 
pends entirely upon themselves, whether they are saved or 
not, and those who do not regard themselves in any way 
responsible in respect to their souls' welfare, are equally 
mistaken. Human zeal alone is not sufficient. Still the most 
strenuous efforts are necessary, in order to become an heir of 
glory. The kingdom of heaven must be taken as it were by 
violence. Ye dying, guilty children of men, pursue, on the 
subject of religion, that rational and consistent course, which 
you do in regard to the things of the earth. Agonize to enter 
the strait gate. Be intent upon treading the narrow way 
which leadeth unto life. Cast yourselves, as unworthy of the 
least compassion, at the footstool of God's sovereignty, being 
determined to perish pleading for pardon, if the celestial city 
must be eternally barred against you. But never will the 
future state reveal the fact, that one of the millions descended 
from the first pair, was driven to hell, when penitently sup- 
plicating forgiveness through the merits of Christ. Let sinners 
every where, awake to their spiritual need. The ark of safety 
is near, and may be entered by all who would glorify God in 
being saved. 



400 zion's pathway. 



WHAT THE SINNER MUST DO TO BE SAVED. 

When as on the day of Pentecost many are pricked in their 
hearts, and say, " Men and brethren, what shall we do ? " or, 
when one anxiously inquires, as did the jailor, " What must I 
do to be saved? " all needful instruction embraces only a few 
words. But religious teachers sometimes meet with persons 
requiring preparatory directions, and to this class my hints are 
offered. 

1. Religion must be regarded and treated as the most impor- 
tant of all concerns, in order that its blessings be secured. 
Simply to admit that it is of surpassing value, does not suffice. 
It is not difficult to express so much interest ; it requires but 
little moral courage to do it. Almost any individual, who is 
not given over to a reprobate mind, will allow that the inter- 
ests of the soul infinitely surpass those of the flesh. Many 
theorize well enough on the subject of religion, whose practice 
proves that they do not attend unto the things of their peace ; 
but their thoughts and words, however correct, avail nothing. 
If one be not so intent upon securing life eternal, as to aban- 
don every associate who is hindering its acquisition, he may be 
assured that he does not treat it as its importance demands, 
nor as he will be under the necessity of doing, before its bles- 
sedness can be made his own. We cannot doubt that many have 
gone to perdition, because they could not persuade themselves 
to forsake the companionship of the wicked. Yea, we suppose 
that thousands, who were once almost induced to be Chris- 
tians, now wail in endless misery, because they were not quite 
willing to break off from sinful alliances. A correct treatment 
of religion furthermore demands an entire rejection of all books, 
and other publications, which tend directly or indirectly to pre- 
judice the mind against the precepts and requirements of the 
gospel. The Spirit of God will not long abide with him whose 



WHA.T THE SINNER MUST DO TO BE SAVED. 401 

mind is daily polluted with the products of fiction. Still fur- 
ther, there must be a shunning of all places in which divine 
truth is not respected. A faithful discharge of duty may re- 
quire one to go, where he should by no means be seen, if not 
impelled by necessity ; but it is tempting the Lord to leave us 
to destruction, if we voluntarily throw ourselves into the midst 
of the unrighteous : " Enter not into the path of the wicked, 
and go not in the way of evil men." Again ; a suitable treat- 
ment of religion, implies a most devoted attachment to the 
means of grace. We cannot secure the pardoning mercy of 
the Lord, while neglecting his institutions. The Scriptures 
must be studied. Prayer, secret, social, and public, can never 
be regarded with indifference, and yet the divine complacency 
be enjoyed. No one who violates the fourth commandment is 
beginning to be adequately interested in his soul's eternal well- 
being. He that desires to be saved, should, in every thought, 
word, and act, manifest an all-absorbing concern, in regard to 
the forgiveness of his sins, and his acceptance with God. 

2. A sinner, in order to be saved, must choose the method 
provided by God in preference to all others. There is, we 
know, but one way of escaping the desert of sin, and of enjoy- 
ing the blessedness of pardon ; yet on the supposition that 
heaven were attainable by some human expedient, the Lord's 
plan should be chosen, because it is the offspring of infinite 
wisdom and benevolence. Great numbers there are who sigh 
for salvation, yet persist in treading the road to ruin, because 
they cannot enter heaven by some human device. Often indi- 
viduals, like the leprous Naaman, are displeased with the 
simplicity of the divine provision. They wish to be bidden 
to do some great thing. Not a few might be found, who would 
not hesitate to undertake a voyage around the globe, if having 
performed such a circumnavigation, eternal life would be theirs 
as a consequence. Yet not one of them could be persuaded to 
comply with the requisition of Christ, and enter a closet for 
34* 



402 zion's pathway. 

secret prayer. Others profess a willingness to relinquish 
thousands of dollars for the sake of a title to a celestial inheri- 
tance, who could not be induced to cast unobserved into the 
treasury of the Lord, for a charitable object, even the smallest 
pittance. Persons have been known to traverse forests in the 
darkness of night, and to wade through streams of water to 
attend exciting religious meetings, when, if there had been at 
the next door to their own, a company of the Saviour's most 
devoted followers engaged in humble, quiet worship, they 
would not have entered the place. Such is their fondness for 
excitement, and their love of display, that this class have 
no idea of being Christians, if it cannot be proclaimed in all 
the region around them that they have performed a wonderful 
pilgrimage, or endured a striking hardship. Alas, how often 
is a mere passion for mental stimulus, mistaken for an interest 
in divine things ! Some are wonderfully attracted in any 
direction whence comes the tumult of many voices ; and thither 
they will rush. Let an ignorant fanatic, who cannot read a 
verse of Scripture, declaim with stentorian voice on religious 
subjects, and lo, a congregation, greater than is ordinarily 
found in sanctuaries on the Sabbath, would soon gather about 
him. Impostors have always understood that element of de- 
praved human nature, which is carried captive by whatever 
exhilarates the mental faculties. It matters not what may be 
the specific aim of a deceiver's efforts, for if he can excite 
people, he may be sure of multiplying followers. But it 
ought to be known, that there is no religion in mere noise ; 
and that to obtain an inheritance with the saints, demands a 
deeply solemn concern, and the most profound thoughtfulness. 
Who has ever become a child of God without secret commu- 
nion with himself? Mere human vociferations have neces- 
sarily no more connection with the production of grace in the 
soul, than has the murmuring of a brook, or the clatter of 
machinery. It is a doleful mistake to suppose that mental 



WHAT THE SINNER MUST DO TO BE SAVED. 403 

commotion constitutes a part of religion, or that religious up- 
roars are sanctioned by the word of the Lord ; " For God is not 
the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of 
the saints." 

The way of life prepared by the Almighty, and delineated 
with sufficient clearness in the Bible, requires a renunciation 
of all self righteousness. What merit has the sinner ? Is not 
his demerit infinite ? We may claim eternal wrath as our due 
from the hand of our God, but naught besides : " For the wages 
of sin is death." Not only must the sinner give up the idea 
of good in himself, whereby he may obtain the favor of the 
Lord ; it is also necessary that he should, with all his heart, 
seek forgiveness. " Let the wicked forsake his way, and the 
unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the 
Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for 
he will abundantly pardon." There is a day of grace for 
mortals, and it is limited ; therefore, its moments are exceed- 
ingly precious. Broad and descending is the road which 
leadeth to death, and to escape from it into the narrow way of 
life, requires the most strenuous exertions. He that would 
become a follower of Jesus, must so count the cost beforehand, 
as not to be intimidated by dangers or hardships, or be 
discouraged on any account. A fierce warfare is always com- 
menced against one, when he begins in earnest the pursuit of 
life eternal. Many are the influences which resist his good 
purposes. Few of the impenitent, we fear, are prepared to 
encounter all the difficulties which meet them. Multitudes, 
after having put their hands to the plough, look back, and thus 
show themselves unfit for the kingdom of God. 

3. The sinner must repent of every sin he has committed, and 
exercise faith in Christ, in order that his soul be saved. And 
what is it to believe in him ? Has the term faith, more than one 
signification ? Yes, it has various shades of meaning. In its re- 
ligious use, it implies a reception of the prophetic announce- 



404 zion's pathway. 

ments concerning the Messiah, and the testimony of the evan- 
gelists in respect to him ; entire confidence must be placed in 
the Scripture account of his advent, life and death. And so 
much is requisite as a preparative to the reception of Christ as 
the soul's Saviour. We cannot believe in him as a Redeemer, 
while rejecting any part of the inspired record pertaining to him. 
On the other hand, it is possible to receive all this undoubtingly, 
and yet to fall short of that faith which secures salvation ; for 
we must feel ourselves ruined and lost if Jesus do not interpose 
in our behalf. So long as one indulges the thought that he may 
somehow help himself, he will not commit his immortal inter- 
ests unreservedly to Christ. A sinner, though trembling in 
view of his condition, cannot be relieved, till turning away 
from all other resorts, he comes to the Mediator, and throws 
himself, for the present and for the future, upon sovereign 
mercy. It is an established principle in the economy of grace, 
that human devices shall be forsaken before Jesus can be em- 
braced by faith. As wretched and perishing, as guilty and 
hell-deserving, the sinner must from the heart say, 

" Here Lord, I give myself away, 
' Tis all that I can do." 

Ye shall "loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniqui- 
ties and your abominations." Such language as the following 
is highly expressive of the feelings which every one must im- 
bibe who would hear the consoling announcement, Thy sins 
be forgiven thee. " O my God, I am ashamed and blush to 
lift up my face to thee." " Mine iniquities have taken hold 
upon me, so that I am not able to look up." It is important 
to observe, that a perception of the divine law, in its strictness, 
and as having been violated innumerable times, is a prerequi- 
site to believing in Christ. 

Again ; the faith of which we are speaking, implies a total 
surrender of whatever we possess to him that loved us and 






REPENTANCE. 405 

died for us. We have, in his own words, the terms of disciple- 
ship. " He that loveth father or mother more than me is not 
worthy of me ; and he that loveth son or daughter more than 
me is not worthy of me ; and he that taketh not his cross, and 
followeth after me, is not worthy of me." Matt. 10 : 37, 38. 
It is of no use for us to undertake to be, in some respects, in 
league with sin, if we would secure the approbation of Christ. 
Nor is a limited surrender to him among possibilities. A 
trade may be taken up for a year, and then abandoned ; but 
one cannot say, I will serve the Lord for a season, and then, 
if I please, return to the way of sin. The decision, to be for 
God, if made at all, is to continue while existence shall endure. 
A choice is made between heaven and hell, and whoever 
chooses the former, does it for endless ages. " Come unto me, 
all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." 
Jesus promises rest, not simply for a day or a week, or a year 
or a century, but a rest which shall remain to the people of 
God when the heavens are no more, and while the endless 
cycles of eternity glide. Faith in the Lamb of God is a far- 
reaching act of the mind. " He that believeth on the Son hath 
everlasting life." Blessed results and wonderful — an infinite 
effect from, shall we say, a finite cause ? 

REPENTANCE. 

Repentance is a word of frequent occurrence in the sacred 
volume. Christ's forerunner came preaching it ; and when 
our Lord himself began his public ministry, he did it by pro- 
claiming this doctrine. It is recorded of the first going forth 
of the apostles, that " they went out and preached that men 
should repent." Ever since their time, special prominence has 
been given to this subject by ministers of the gospel. It may 
be said of them in respect to it — "line upon line, line upon 
line." If the hearers of truth be not brought to repentance, 



406 zion's pathway. 

then does preaching become to them a " savor of death unto 
death." 

True and False discriminated. 

There are two varieties of repentance which may be desig- 
nated religious, each of which is frequently brought to view 
in the Bible. I shall describe both ; exhibiting their charac- 
teristics as given by the sacred writers, and I shall first con- 
sider the true. 

In the following passage its source and effects are designated: 
" For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation." Who- 
ever is exercised with deep contrition for sin as committed 
against a holy God, will, as here implied, reform in conduct ; 
and the change thus begun, continues till heaven welcomes to 
its own blessedness the subject of it. Such, in general terms, 
is genuine or evangelical repentance. But it may not be amiss 
to enter somewhat into particulars on this vital subject. 

1. The sorrow felt by a sinner under conviction, is always 
in view of the odiousness of sin, provided the repentance be 
genuine. A sense of having done wrong is deep and pungent ; 
the soul's inmost recesses are penetrated by it, and the peni- 
tent person appears extremely guilty in his own estimation. 
It is not a fear of consequences chiefly, or in any great degree, 
that troubles the individual, but it is a consciousness of ill- 
desert ; of having disobeyed God ; of having dishonored the 
divine law, and of having cast contempt on the character of the 
glorious Jehovah. Such repentance is, in every case, the fruit 
of the special operations of the Holy Spirit. It is his prerog- 
ative to convince of sin ; he, and he only, makes the sinner 
sensible of guilt. No reasoning of man or angel can do it ; 
miracles cannot originate convictions ; alarming providences 
alone never occasion it. Godly sorrow is uniformly produced 
by God the Spirit. 



REPENTANCE. 407 

2. True repentance is unto salvation, for the Scriptures 
assure us, that " Godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salva- 
tion." It does not cease to be exercised, while he who has 
once been the subject of it has any sin over which to sigh, or 
any guilt which needs pardon. Hence, godly sorrow attends 
the Christian while he remains on earth, for the last remains 
of his depravity are not removed, till his arrival at that point 
where his probation terminates, and God's retribution begins ; 
that is, his entrance into heaven. We consider this repentance 
as a constant characteristic of every real believer, and it is 
constantly working in him " unto salvation." It does not 
sometimes thus work, and sometimes otherwise work or not 
work at all ; but. it unceasingly works in this one way. There- 
fore, if it be true in respect to any person, that he has begun 
to exercise godly sorrow, it is morally certain that he will thus 
continue. Salvation has commenced in a soul, if this repent- 
ance be there exercised. Those who mourn for sin, after a 
godly sort, are impressed with its wrongfulness ; of its infinite 
ill desert ; and they hate it, and desire to be free from it at 
once and forever. Consequently they exhibit just that mental 
state, which God requires as a prerequisite to the acceptance 
of pardon ; and to them, the sovereign dispenser of mercy 
proclaims it. 

3. It is a repentance of which no one repents. " For godly 
sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation not to be repented 
of." A period is rapidly approaching, when every one will 
review the history of his life, and rejoice or weep over it. 
Many will mourn on account of their course, when grief can- 
not avail ; but for the repentance we are now considering, 
none will ever feel regret. But the fact, that they did exercise 
it, will be remembered with joy through ages without end. No 
rational being can repent of possessing that which insures 
eternal blessedness. Though true repentance be destitute of 
merit, it is nevertheless inseparably connected with heavenly 



408 zion's pathway. 

felicity. As soon, therefore, will a saint repent of being in 
heaven, or a Christian pilgrim of being on his way thither, as 
a true penitent, repent of that repentance which is an essen- 
tial preparative for the enjoyments of the sanctified. 

Examples of True Repentance. 

David exercised it after numbering the people contrary to 
the will of God. " I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the 
iniquity of thy servant ; for I have done very foolishly." 2 
Sam. 24: 10. So did he repent when penning the fifty-first 
Psalm. " Against thee, thee only have I sinned and done this 
evil in thy sight." Numerous other instances of this penitence 
are exhibited in the writings of that illustrious ruler. Many 
of the Psalms are penitential. This repentance is developed 
in the prayer of Ezra : " O my God, I am ashamed and blush 
to lift up my face to thee my God ; for our iniquities are in- 
creased over our head, and our trespasses grown up unto the 
heavens." Ezra 9 : 6. Job was under its influence when he 
said, " I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes." Job 42 : 
6. So was the publican, while smiting on his breast and cry- 
ing, " God be merciful to me a sinner." Luke 18 : 13. This 
repentance is illustrated in the case of the prodigal son ; his 
confession originated in it. " Father, I have sinned against 
heaven and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called 
thy son." His sins he knew were against God, and he felt 
their guilt to be a vast oppressive load, and his repentance was 
sincere. Multitudes on the pentecostal day exercised the re- 
pentance which is unto salvation. In later times, yea, in our 
times, many have given proof of its being their own, by the 
bringing forth of those fruits which are meet for repentance. 
It is attended with great humility. The subjects of it are 
brought into the very dust, and they feel that they cannot get 
too low before the Lord. 



REPENTANCE. 409 

We will now notice the other kind of repentance, and see 
what are its characteristics. It is styled, in the Scriptures, 
" the sorrow of the world." It is such a sorrow as those ex- 
ercise who have no just views of God's holiness or of their 
own sinfulness. People that love iniquity are often seen re- 
penting ; their grief is sometimes great. None but the Om- 
niscient God can number the tears shed daily in connection 
with this species of repentance. Mankind are disappointed in 
their plans of selfishness, and they mourn, either because their 
enterprises were undertaken, or for a want of success. Evils 
result from particular courses of conduct, and the sufferers 
regret having entered upon them. Men of the world do not 
consult the mind of the Lord with reference to any of their 
purposes, and, when defeated, they repent, because of the 
failure, and not on account of their own guilt in going without 
being sent. Could the wicked carry out their desires, they 
would show no signs of repenting, however perverse their 
hearts and heaven-daring their aims. Now just such a repent- 
ance as this exists in connection with religion. Many exercise 
it, and imagine that they have obeyed the command to repent. 
Consequences stare them in the face ; they are alarmed ; the 
moral law thunders ; hell's flame flashes ; the ever-devouring 
worm and the quenchless fire fill them with fear ; but sin is 
loved, and there is no abatement of attachment to evil prac- 
tices. This repentance " worketh death." So excessive has 
been the grief of disappointed persons, that in many cases 
they have put an end to their earthly existence by an act of 
suicide. Others, preserved from doing violence to themselves, 
have so brooded over their misfortunes, as to occasion pining 
sickness and premature dissolution. But this repentance does 
not affect temporary interest chiefly, for it worketh the second 
death. It is purely selfish, and therefore entirely sinful, hav- 
ing no respect to God, the Being against whom sin is com- 
mitted. Fruitless plans, however wrong in his sight, would 
35 



410 zion's pathway. 

still be approved by their authors, had prosperity attended 
them ; more of their tears are shed for guilt ; hence God can 
never wipe them away. The hearts of those exercising this 
repentance are still full of rebellion, and, were it possible, the 
Judge of all the earth would be compelled by such penitents 
to repair their past losses and grant them future success in sin. 

Examples of the False. 

A dishonest person may often exercise this repentance. 
Suppose he defrauds to the utmost his fellow-men and has no 
thought of giving up this course, till suddenly the veil is lifted 
and his iniquity is revealed ; then, at once, he is penitent ; 
confesses and sues for pardon. But the excitement raised 
against him passes away, and he pursues the same line of 
wickedness again. I knew a man whose crimes had carried 
him to the state's prison, where he seemed to become a peni- 
tent and actually professed piety. When his term of punish- 
ment expired, he came out, appearing as a gentleman and a 
Christian. Thus he continued, till the community, in a meas- 
ure, had forgotten that he had ever been a criminal ; then he 
began anew his former career of wickedness, and the last in- 
formation that I ever had concerning him stated that he was on 
trial for another offence, which would probably send him into 
close confinement for a term of years. Many, when accused 
of crimes, deny every charge, till evidence of their guilt be- 
comes overwhelming ; then they will acknowledge the whole, 
and with much weeping ask forgiveness. But could they have 
concealed their sin, they would have exhibited no sorrow for it. 

Pharaoh's repentance was this sorrow of the world that 
worketh death. Bowed by the mighty hand of Jehovah, he 
said, " I have sinned this time. The Lord is righteous ; and 
I and my people are wicked ; entreat the Lord," and " I will let 
you go, and ye shall stay no longer." Intercession was made 



REPENTANCE. 411 

for him; but when the judgment had been withdrawn, "he 
sinned yet more and more, and hardened his heart." The first 
king of Israel made many confessions of guilt, when called to 
account by Samuel the prophet, or if his folly were otherwise 
exposed ; but he did not produce such works as evince godly 
sorrow for his transgressions. We are sure that the last act 
of his life is decisive proof, that however many times he may 
have had another heart, he never had a regenerate heart. The 
unprincipled Ahab, who had sold himself to do evil, was, at 
one time, apparently much humbled. Dire judgments were 
denounced on him and his posterity. He rent his clothes ; put 
mourning upon his loins ; fasted ; lay in sackcloth and went 
softly ; yet he died an enemy to God. One of his last acts 
was the imprisonment of a prophet, because the latter declared, 
" As the Lord liveth, what the Lord saith unto me that will I 
speak." 1 Kings 22 : 14, 27. The repentance of Judas was 
of this same description. In a deliberate manner he agreed 
to betray his Lord and Master for about fifteen dollars, which 
was the price of the meanest slave. He had hints from Christ 
respecting the wickedness of his purpose, and there was enough 
space for godly sorrow ; but he persevered and even sought op- 
portunity to perpetrate his premeditated infamy. Still, when 
the dreadful deed was performed, and he saw how contempti- 
ble in the eyes of men he had rendered himself, then he re- 
pented ; not, however, because he had sinned against God, for 
he proceeded to sin yet again, but on account of the conse- 
quences ; and he went away and hung himself. Such, I repeat, 
is the grief of great numbers, who are alarmed lest the 
wrath of God shall send them to hell. Their sin is cherished, 
but they fear divine indignation ; punishment is dreaded, though 
transgression is approved. In their distress they call for mercy, 
long and loud, till nature sinks with exhaustion ; the excite- 
ment passes off, fear is gone, and they regard themselves as 
new converts ; very happy, too, they are sometimes. Alas ! 



412 zion's pathway. 

their joy is not in God, but in themselves ; they have no fears 
of hell, and therefore can exult. Probably there is not, in 
any such case, the least sorrow for sin, otherwise than as it 
exposes them to punishment ; take away the penalty, and the 
penitence will disappear. 

The two kinds of repentance here explained and illustrated, 
are exhibited by different words in the original of the New 
Testament, Mezavoux and MeToifiiXopai,. Our language has not 
those nice distinctions which characterize the Greek. When it 
is said that angels rejoice over a repenting sinner, his repentance 
is designated by a Avord differing from that employed to point 
out the repentance of Judas. When sinners are called upon 
to repent, it is to exercise the repentance which I first de- 
scribed. The last named is common, the other is rare. All 
the pious have exercised this, and exhibited works which are 
its natural fruits. They also daily repent of the transgressions 
and omissions, of which they are more or less conscious. Hav- 
ing beheld the spirituality of the divine law, and having seen 
themselves in its light, they know that they come short, and 
sorrow after a godly sort over their failures in duty. It is one 
of the clearest evidences of being a new creature in Christ, 
that one feels himself to be a miserable sinner, and momen- 
tarily in need of divine grace. 

The impenitent, of every place and description, must become 
subjects of true repentance, or perish in their sins, for the way 
to heaven cannot be entered, except by going through this 
gate. Whoever does not thus begin to seek for treasures in the 
skies, has no prospect of dwelling in the Zion above. If a 
doubt rests on any mind respecting this point, it should be 
banished without the least delay, for if it be permitted to linger, 
it may destroy the soul. He that hesitates in regard to this 
doctrine, is liable to be suddenly driven into outer and utter 
darkness. 

None who exercise this repentance will perish. It is unto 



REFENTANCE. 413 

life eternal ; is indissolubly connected with the joys at God's 
right hand. Fundamental principles in religion are not of a 
changeable nature. A man cannot be a penitent, and impeni- 
tent at the same time. No one is a believer in Jesus accord- 
ing to the gospel, and subsequently an unbeliever. We cannot 
walk in the way to heaven in the forenoon, and hellward in 
the afternoon. It is not possible to possess the spirit of Christ 
one hour, and the next to be filled with the spirit of devils. 
True repentance is unto salvation ; wherefore, he whose sor- 
row for sin does not reach so far, has not repented to any 
good purpose. All his grief, groans, tears, cries, and promises, 
avail him nothing. Should he perpetuate them eternally, they 
will not benefit his soul. God's wrath is not withheld from 
men, because they would escape it, and still cling to their sins. 
Law never releases its claims upon the guilty, on account of 
their dread of its penalty. 

The second kind of repentance, described in this article, 
forms the foundation of many false conversions. I have 
already alluded to the method by which they are produced. 
Also, they have been vastly multiplied through the agency of 
those, who do not distinguish between truth and error. Such 
accessions as they make to the company of professed believ- 
ers, add nothing to Zion's beauty or strength. Converts thus 
formed will soon fall away ; they must be re-converted, or die 
impenitent ; for theirs is only the sorrow of the world, which 
worketh death. 

In conclusion, the writer would express the hope, that the 
subject treated thus briefly, will not be turned aside by the 
reader ; for God " now commandeth all men every where to re- 
pent," and this edict of his will never be revoked. At the 
bar of retribution, to which all men rapidly haste, they shall 
be approved or condemned, according as they have obeyed it or 
refused compliance. 
35* 



414 



ZION S PATHWAY. 



THE FORGIVEN SINNER. 



To forgive sins is a prerogative of God, which can belong 
to no mere creature. Man is able to unfold the nature of for- 
giveness, and to explain the terms on which it is bestowed ; he 
can also pray that his fellow transgressors may be forgiven ; 
moreover, he can forgive offences committed against himself, 
so far as they are against him only, but if God do not forgive 
the violators of the divine law, they must remain the subjects 
of unpardoned guilt. 

Forgiveness is a word which, like repentance, often appears 
in the Bible. The idea it contains is sometimes expressed by 
other terms. Pardon signifies nearly or quite the same thing, 
and occasionally justification is employed in a similar sense. 

Sins cannot be annihilated. When forgiven, they are not, 
strictly speaking, destroyed. Though all men should be 
brought into a state of reconciliation with God, and henceforth 
should not commit sins, their former acts of disobedience 
would remain acts of disobedience forever. The forgiven are 
delivered from the penalty, justly their due, and threatened 
against them while impenitent; hence they can never so come 
under the condemning sentence of the law, as to suffer from 
its inflictions. Yet the sinner is as destitute of personal merit 
after he is forgiven, as he was previously. It is solely through 
the merits of Christ, that any are forgiven. A varied phrase- 
ology is employed in Scripture, to set forth what is implied in 
forgiveness. The sins of the pardoned are said to be taken 
away, blotted out ; and God declares that he will remember 
their iniquities no more. The import of all such expressions, 
I understand to be, that the forgiven sinner shall never suffer 
the punishment due to his sins. Jehovah will not visit their 
iniquities upon them. It is necessary, however, in contem- 
plating the condition of the forgiven sinner, to enter somewhat 
into particulars. 



THE FORGIVEN SINNER. 415 

1. His relation to God is changed. Once, he stood among 
the rebellious, with his heart full of hatred, and his hands 
raised in opposition to the Lord of hosts. He contemned the 
law of God, and the gospel of Christ, neither fearing divine 
indignation, nor respecting divine compassion. At a great 
moral distance naturally from his Maker, he was removing 
farther and farther ; no thought was more terrible to him than 
that he was a subject of a holy inspection. Were it possible, 
he would gladly have escaped from the knowledge and control 
of his Maker. Holiness he wished to annihilate, and he ab- 
horred Jehovah, because of the perfections of that infinite 
Being. While the pure spirits above encircle the effulgent 
throne, pressing to the utmost limit allowed in their approaches 
to Him who sits upon it, rebel spirits seek the greatest attain- 
able distance. As the angelic hosts go far out to execute the 
orders of their King, they hasten their flight, and speed the 
performance of their duty, that they may early return to that 
central point of attraction, the Holy Lord God. To be near 
an object of supreme affection, is always desired, and Jehovah 
being that object, those who cherish high spiritual affections 
desire to be near to him. Nor is the love of saints and angels 
greater to God, than is the love which he exercises toward 
them, for they are esteemed by the Almighty according to 
their moral worth, which is always in exact proportion to the 
holy love which they exercise towards him. 

Once, human beings, when the race consisted of only two 
individuals, loved the true God supremely. The morning of 
Adam's existence was bright and promising ; but suddenly a 
change occurred, and the ever blessed Creator ceased to be 
regarded as the only object of supreme affection and worship. 
Since that mournful change, the race has been alienated from 
God. Every generation has been composed of the children of 
disobedience. Whatever mankind may decide respecting 
themselves ; whatever opinions they may form in regard to 



416 zion's pathway. 

the moral character of their fellow-men, the Lord declares 
them all in a state of rebellion. A controversy has been long 
going on, between the Omnipotent Sovereign of the universe, 
and the revolted inhabitants of earth. Who shall triumph ? 
Is there room for doubt ? Can puny creatures successfully 
contend with the all powerful Creator ? Verily, it is not pos- 
sible. What then have men reason to expect from the hand 
of him, whom they vainly oppose ? Can they receive aught 
but indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish ? Hear, 
O perishing mortals, a voice from heaven : " Say unto them, 
As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death 
of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his ways and 
live. Turn ye," turn ye from your evil ways." Comforting 
language ; God is desirous that those who are impotently and 
foolishly resisting the claims of his law, and ungratefully re- 
ceiving the tokens of his goodness, should repent and be 
forgiven. Behold the prospect brightening ! Jehovah's com- 
passion for the sinner has developed itself in a wonderful 
manner, by providing pardons for the penitent. 

Convinced of his guilt in being a rebel, and of his folly in 
attempting to oppose the Lord, encouraged by the assurance 
of pardon, if penitent, and drawn by the cords of mercy, the 
sinner renounces Iris transgressions, prostrates himself in the 
dust, cries to God's only Son for pity ; the eye of the Saviour 
turns upon him, and a voice sweeter than the song of a seraph, 
says, " Thy sins be forgiven thee." Lo the sinner wipes away 
his tears, owns Jesus as Master, looks heavenward, and says, 
"Abba Father." The fiery wrath of injured justice is ap- 
peased, and the sword once bathed in the blood of Immanuel, 
no longer demands the death of the pardoned penitent. An- 
gels rejoice over the newly forgiven, and heaven itself seems 
animated with increasing joy. Changed indeed is the condi- 
tion of him, whose transgressions are forgiven, whose iniqui- 
ties are blotted out. He is adopted into the family of God, 



THE FORGIVEN SINNER. 417 

and henceforth receives fatherly treatment at the divine hand. 
A course of spiritual discipline is commenced with him, which 
will be continued by that Being who cannot err, till the subject 
of it is prepared to enter into the joys of an eternal kingdom. 
Jesus the great Shepherd receives the pardoned into his own 
fold, and watches over him with unceasing vigilance and un- 
faltering kindness. Every day such an one may affirm, " I 
shall not want." The forgiven are assured that God does not 
pain them unnecessarily, but that he will chastise them as his 
wisdom and benevolence shall deem best. They are upheld 
by his almighty power, and nothing shall do them essential in- 
jury. Before he was forgiven, the sinner was regarded and 
treated as a rebel against the government of God. Now, he 
is esteemed a loyal subject, an affectionate child. In forgive- 
ness is implied every blessing, which the soul of man can 
need, either in this world, or in the next. 

2. The feelings of the forgiven have undergone a striking 
change in many, and essential respects. Ah, how painful to 
a believer is the insensibility of the unconcerned sinner. His 
indifference to divine things, is enough to amaze angels and 
confound demons. Of all subjects pressed upon his attention, 
none other awakens so little interest, as does that of religion. 
But when the Spirit arrests his attention, his feelings begin to 
undergo a remarkable change. Truth is heard by him with 
candor, and remembered with interest. By day and by night 
his thoughts are employed about divine things. Every work 
of God appears to have a voice, which calls to repentance. 
Sometimes the anxiety of the convicted becomes so great, that 
sleep departs from his eyes, health fails, and the grave seems 
just at hand. A violated law, an insulted God, and a slighted 
Saviour, appear in awful nearness ; misimproved Sabbaths and 
frequently despised strivings of the Spirit rush upon his re- 
collection, and overwhelm him with indescribable sorrow. In 
mournful soliloquy, he exclaims, I am an abuser of grace, a 



418 zion's pathway. 

bold transgressor, an heir of hell, and am hastening to the 
abode of the lost. O that I might find mercy ! What would I 
not do, to secure deliverance from this oppressive load of my 
guilt ? I am undone ! " God, be merciful to me a sinner ! " 
And now, that tender call of Christ salutes his ear : " Come 
unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give 
you rest." His drooping head is raised. Can this, he asks, be 
intended for me ? May I go to Jesus, and find peace ? While 
meditating, another charming assurance falls upon his hearing, 
" Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out." He 
pauses amid joyful astonishment, reflects, inquires, is encour- 
aged, and resolves that he will go to Jesus. The resolution 
is carried into execution. He goes to Jesus ; falls down in the 
divine presence; and weeping bitterly, on account of sin, he says, 
I have sinned against reason ; I have sinned against revela- 
tion ; I have sinned most foolishly, and wilfully ; I am justly 
condemned by God ; I condemn myself. Jesus beholds the 
penitent, and declares, in words of unlimited compassion, " Thy 
sins be forgiven thee." That inexpressible anguish of soul 
gives place to joy unspeakably great, and full of glory. Guilt 
is forgiven ; transgressions are blotted out. 

O the happiness of the newly forgiven ! " He hath put a 
new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God." Upward 
will I lift up mine eyes. Yonder on a throne of glory sits my 
Father. For years I hated him with all my heart ; but now he 
is my soul's delight. " Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and 
there is non e upon e arth that I desire besides thee." Christ, who 
had appeared as a root out of a dry ground, and as having no 
form or comeliness, why he should be desired, now seems to 
him altogether lovely, the chief among ten thousands. With a 
settled purpose he says, " Master, I will follow thee whither- 
soever thou goest." 

The feelings of the forgiven are changed as respects this 
world. Its brightest colors are dim ; its highest enjoyments 



THE FORGIVEN SINNER. 419 

unworthy of pursuit, and its warmest friendships to be avoided 
rather than sought. The visible works of God shine in a 
new light, and the Bible has become a precious book, for 
which no price would be an equivalent. Pious persons, whose 
presence was formerly shunned, are now the company sought ; 
yea, the saints are esteemed the excellent of the earth, by him 
just pardoned. "Let the righteous smite me. It shall be 
a kindness." Changed too are the feelings in regard to sea- 
sons and places of worship. The forgiven sinner is at once 
interested in what the Redeemer loves and requires. To 
offer praise and to join in prayer are delightful exercises. 
The closet, the family altar, and the sanctuary, have irresisti- 
ble attractions. As soon will a living creature be found which 
has no desire for food, as a pardoned transgressor who has no 
relish for public and private worship. Not less marked is the 
change of feeling in respect to the great object of life ; once it 
was self, now it is the glory of God. 

3. The future prospects of a sinner on being forgiven, are at 
once greatly changed. While impenitent, he was under the 
wrath and condemnation of his Maker ; but on being forgiven, 
he is delivered from both. Each moment bears all the unpar- 
doned onward to that awful gulf of ruin, into which many have 
been banished. " Surely thou didst set them in slippery places ; 
thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they 
brought into desolation, as in a moment." But the pardoned 
are placed upon a rock ; their goings are established, and their 
course is heavenward. Strangers and pilgrims on earth, they 
journey toward the eternal city. Earthly prospects do not 
necessarily brighten, when one becomes a child of God ; but 
those relating to eternity are clothed with celestial attractions. 
When once the word has gone forth from the lips of the 
Redeemer, " Thy sins be forgiven thee," the individual thus 
addressed will never more be unforgiven. " Verily, verily, I 
say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him 



420 zion's pathway. 

that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into 
condemnation, but is passed from death unto life." Every one 
dying unpardoned, has before him the certainty of lying down in 
that sorrow, " where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not 
quenched." The forgiven are sure to dwell eternally at the right 
hand of God, where " there is fulness of joy," and " pleasures 
forevermore." On leaving time these will be admitted into the 
spotless society of angels, and of all those holy beings, who may 
have been gathered from the numberless worlds which God 
has created and peopled with sinless creatures, to illustrate his 
glory. The gliding periods of eternity will effect no change 
in the condition of the forgiven, which can interrupt or check 
their bliss. We suppose that their capacity for enjoyment will 
continue to increase, and that their enlarged and ever enlarging 
capacity will always be filled. An apostle alludes to the 
matter thus : " Beloved, now are we the sons of God ; and it 
doth not yet appear what we shall be ; but we know, that 
when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see 
him as he is." 1 John 3:2. 

" They see their Saviour face to face, 
And sing the triumphs of his grace." 

I must not dismiss this subject, without proposing a few in- 
quiries to my readers. 

Are you forgiven ? But two classes of persons are found 
on probation ; one consists of the forgiven, and the other of 
those yet remaining under the wrath of God. On which side 
of this dividing line do you stand ? Who should be ignorant 
on this point of momentous concern ? Is it not possible to 
arrive at some satisfactory conclusion ? Surely it is manifest 
respecting some classes, that they are not forgiven. Pharisees 
have not been forgiven ; hypocrites have not been forgiven ; 
openly irreligious persons have not been forgiven : secret op- 
posers of truth have not been forgiven ; sceptics have not been 






THE UNPARDONABLE SIN. 421 

forgiven ; none who intelligently reject the essential doctrines 
of religion, have been forgiven. It is obvious that no one who 
has not sought forgiveness has been forgiven. Sins of life and 
sins of heart, sins of thought and sins of word ; yea, all sins 
must be renounced, before God the Son can pronounce one 
forgiven. Make careful search, and if you are forgiven, some 
evidence of it will appear. Suppose you are confident that 
you are still in an unpardoned state ; then, let me ask, do you 
desire forgiveness ? If correct views have been presented in 
the preceding paragraphs, to be in the condition of the for- 
given is certainly desirable, whether you are anxious for it or 
not. Heaven is no less glorious as a place, because some 
desire none of its excellence, than it would be if all were eager 
for it. It is important for you that all your sins be taken 
away, for if they are not, you must feel, to the full extent of 
your susceptibility of suffering, the awful penalty due to trans- 
gressors. Pardon for sin is not granted to those who do not 
desire it. It is morally impossible for God to declare one for- 
given, who loves iniquity with all the heart. Moreover, abso- 
lution from sin must be desired, not merely that deserved 
wrath be escaped, but chiefly that the favor of God may be 
enjoyed ; that time and eternity may be spent in conformity 
to holy requirements. Once more I interrogate my readers : 
Are you seeking forgiveness ? It must be sought earnestly 
and perse veringly, and on this side of the grave, or the bless- 
ing will never be yours. To cry for pardon from the gloomy 
cells of despair will be in vain. Forgiven or unforgiven, is 
every man at death ; and forgiven or unforgiven will every 
man remain forever. 



THE UNPARDONABLE SIN. 

This language is employed to designate a specific sin, and 
its use is based on a statement of Christ, which, in substance, 
36 



422 zion's pathway. 

is recorded by three evangelists. " Wherefore I say unto you, 
all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men, 
but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be for- 
given unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the 
Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him ; but whosoever speaketh 
against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither 
in this world, neither in the world to come." Matt. 12: 31, 
32. Mark and Luke both convey the same sentiment, in 
phraseology slightly varied. There are also a few passages 
in the epistles which speak of a sin admitting of no forgiveness. 
See Heb. 6: 4 — 6, also 10: 26 — 29, and 1 John 5: 16. 
In respect, however, to these latter passages, interpreters do 
not agree in regard to their purport. 

What constitutes the sin against the Holy Ghost? This 
question is answered in different ways by expositors. One class 
supposes it to have been committed by the scribes and Pharisees 
on the occasion when our Saviour uttered the language above 
quoted. " This sin," says a writer in the Cottage Bible, " is 
charged only upon the scribes and Pharisees, the most enlight- 
ened classes of the Jews, many of whom, we have reason to be- 
lieve, were, in their own minds, satisfied of the truth of Christ's 
miracles, and of the purity of his moral character ; but their pride 
and malice would not allow them to acknowledge a Saviour in 
form and appearance so humble and unpretending, and who, in- 
deed, was opposed to all their plans of aggrandizement and world- 
ly power." The opinion of Tillotson, as stated by Doddridge, 
was, that " the Pharisees committed this sin, in ascribing the 
miracles of Christ to Satan." " To speak against the Holy 
Ghost," Saurin observes, " was maliciously to reject a doctrine, 
when he who delivered it confirmed the truth of it by so dis- 
tinguished and evident a miracle as healing a demoniac ; and 
to ascribe those miracles to the devils, which, they were as- 
sured, had God alone for their author." This last writer 
likewise gives a paraphrase from Chrysostom, on the passage 



THE UNPARDONABLE SIN. 423 

in Matthew quoted at the head of this article. "You have 
called me a deceiver and an enemy of God ; I forgive this 
reproach. Having some cause to stumble at the flesh with 
which I am clothed, you might not know who I am. But can 
you be ignorant that the casting out of demons is the work of 
the Holy Ghost ? For this cause, he who says that I do these 
miracles by Beelzebub, shall not obtain remission." A prefer- 
ence is given in Robinson's Calmet to the opinion of Athana- 
sius. " He thinks this sin was chargeable on the Pharisees, 
because they maliciously imputed the works of Christ to the 
power of the devil, though they could not but be convinced in 
their own minds, that they were effected by a good spirit. 
This also involved a denial of the divinity of the Son, which 
was clearly proved by his works, — works performed by the 
divine power of the Holy Spirit." Bloomfield supposes that 
the Pharisees committed the sin against the Holy Ghost, since 
on them was chargeable " the greatest and most wilful obsti- 
nacy in wrong that can be imagined." To the foregoing may 
perhaps be added the testimony of the evangelist Mark. He 
affirms, that our Saviour made the statement respecting the 
sin specified, because the Pharisees said, " He hath an unclean 
spirit." Does it not then appear that Christ addressed himself 
to the Pharisees? Still, is it not possible, that having reasoned 
with those revilers of his miracles, showing them the utter 
absurdity of the suggestion, that devils might be cast out by 
Beelzebub, the prince of the devils, he expressed himself not 
specifically to them, but to all ? Is it absolutely certain that 
the Pharisees had committed the sin against the Holy Ghost, 
on the supposition that Christ addressed himself to them in 
particular ? May they not have gone to the very brink of a 
precipice, without having taken the fatal step ? I would not 
affirm that they had not committed the sin named ; I only 
intimate the possibility that they had not. On the supposition 
that Christ had primary reference to the Pharisees, we ought 



424 zion's pathway. 

not to suppose that they alone were capable of committing the 
sin. I could not agree with those interpreters who limit its 
commission to the time of the Saviour. But it should be 
observed, that all the writers whose opinions I have cited, do 
not thus confine it. 

Let us now notice another class of expositors. These refer 
to the special displays of the Holy Spirit, as on the day of 
Pentecost. Of them is Dr. Scott. I will quote his own lan- 
guage : — " The Pharisees had spoken most blasphemous 
words against Christ and his miracles, which were, indeed, 
wrought by the power of the Holy Ghost, but not under the 
immediate inspiration of the Spirit. They had gone as far in 
impiety as they could, without finally excluding themselves 
from forgiveness. They had spoken blasphemy against the 
Son of God, and ascribed his miracles to the power of the 
devil ; still they might be pardoned, and one further method 
would be used to convince them." He alludes to the pouring 
out of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, and adds, " whoso- 
ever, therefore, should blaspheme this last and most complete 
attestation to Jesus as the promised Messiah, and from deter- 
mined enmity to him and his kingdom, deliberately ascribe the 
operations of the Holy Spirit to Satan, that man would be 
given up to final obduracy and impenitency, and thus never 
be pardoned, but sink into final perdition. None, therefore, 
could commit this sin, who did not witness the effects of the 
pouring out of the Holy Spirit on the apostles." Henry and 
Doddridge both present a similar view. The reasoning of Dr. 
Scott seems to me unnatural. What did the Pharisees know 
about the coming dispensation of the Spirit ? Besides, was 
not the Spirit given to Christ without measure ? In what 
respect can the crime of the Pharisees, in attributing the mira- 
cles of Jesus to Satan, be considered less than the sin of those 
who might oppose the work of the Spirit, after his ascension ? 
In a word, why might not the Holy Ghost be blasphemed 



THE UNPARDONABLE SIN. 425 

during the mission of our Saviour as easily as after his depar- 
ture ? 

There is yet another class of interpreters ; but these do not, 
like the preceding, locate the sin. Its essence, in their estima- 
tion, is substantially the same with that which the preceding 
classes attribute to it. They do not suppose it necessary to 
have lived either when Christ was upon earth, or at the day 
of Pentecost, in order to fall into it. Dr. Adam Clarke's defi- 
nition of the sin against the Holy Ghost is in the following 
words : " When the person obstinately attributed those works 
to the devil which he had the fullest evidence could be wrought 
only by the Spirit of God." Dr. Emmons says, " It is a sin 
of the tongue ; a public, not a private sin. It cannot be 
committed without knowledge of a certain kind. Great 
attainments in human learning are not necessary, nor great 
illuminations ; but the knowledge of the Holy Spirit, and his 
peculiar operations is necessary. It cannot be committed 
ignorantly." 

Leaving now the various, and rather conflicting opinions of 
expositors, let us endeavor to form one of our own, if indeed 
it be possible for us so to do. Perhaps the subject is, with 
design, stated obscurely in the Scriptures, in order that every 
one may fear, lest he shall be left to commit this sin, and that 
no one shall be accused by a fellow-creature of having commit- 
ted it. Are we not safe in adopting this definition ? viz. : 

The unpardonable sin consists in malignantly ascribing to 
Satan, the known operations of the Holy Spirit. Should this 
be taken as a correct statement, it would be necessary in order 
to commit the sin, that one should understand what are the 
operations of the Spirit, and that out of pure malignity, and 
on no other account, he should attribute them to Satan. Such 
a definition is unincumbered. The Pharisees may or may 
not have committed the sin ; revilers on the day of Pentecost 
may or may not have been guilty of it. It may have been 
36* 



426 zion's pathway. 

committed by many in every age since Christ, or by only a 
few, or by none. 

Though the question, what is the unpardonable sin, be one 
respecting which there is a variety of opinions, and though the 
subject involved in it be somewhat of a speculative character, 
yet it also has a practical bearing. " Scarcely any thing in 
the whole Scripture has given more discouragement to weak 
Christians." * The writer recently heard of a man, who, on 
his death-bed, and for years previous, was troubled greatly 
with the impression, that he had committed this sin. He was 
seriously minded ; thought much and deeply on the subject of 
religion. In his case, there was no evidence to others that he 
had been guilty, as he feared. 

I submit the following suggestions : 

1. Some persons certainly have not been guilty of commit- 
ting the unpardonable sin. None are involved in it, who are 
sincerely penitent for all their transgressions. They have not 
fallen into it while in the exercise of penitential feelings ; and 
the present existence of such feelings in their hearts, is evi- 
dence that they had not previously, for those guilty of that sin 
are given up to hardness and insensibility. The really peni- 
tent always receive pardon. If, therefore, any have so sinned 
that they cannot be forgiven, they are morally incapable of 
exercising gospel repentance. Hence, it may be confidently 
affirmed of all who mourn over sin after a godly sort, and 
tremble lest they have fallen into the condemnation of him who 
cannot be forgiven, that they need not thus fear. One emi- 
nent divine remarks, that " They who most fear having com- 
mitted it, are generally at the greatest distance from it." 
Another says, "Let not the humble soul, that trembles at 
God's word, meditate terror to itself from such a passage." 



*Dr. Scott. 



THE UNPARDONABLE SIN. 427 

A third speaks thus, concerning this point, " Those who fear 
that they have committed this sin, give good sign that they 
have not." 

2. There is danger of committing the unpardonable sin. Ac- 
cording to the definition which I have given, it can be com- 
mitted in any age ; and there have been instances in modern 
times of individuals who exhibited manifest tokens of being 
utterly abandoned of the Spirit. 

Did the earth ever sustain on its bosom, more hardened 
haters of the Holy Spirit, than at the present time ? Would 
not even the Pharisees hlush to witness the wickedness now 
prevalent? Could they have spoken more blasphemously 
against the Spirit of God, than he is spoken against at this 
day ? Did they join to slay the Redeemer ? Ah, were it pos- 
sible, he would be crucified a thousand times in less than 
twenty-four hours. Multitudes are in every place, crying, 
" Crucify him, crucify him," and the chiefs of the people are 
ready to give him up. Guilt in rejecting truth bears a propor- 
tion to the means of light and knowledge enjoyed. Have not 
we an authentic record of the miracles of Christ, and of the 
wonders wrought by the Holy Spirit in the early days of his 
dispensation ? And have we not also the corroborating testi- 
mony of eighteen hundred years ? Are not sinners now in 
special danger of committing the unpardonable sin ? 

3. As we do not know for certainty, respecting any indivi- 
duals, that they have committed this sin, it is our duty to pray 
for all, and to call upon them to repent and turn to God. 
There have been cases, in which apparently the most hardened 
in sin, were made the subjects of special grace. We may 
hope that none about us are beyond the reach of mercy, while 
we cannot but indulge the fear that some are. Surely, the 
Lord will not be offended at our efforts to save even the most 
sinful, if he do not impart to us evidence of their being beyond 
the possibility of pardon. It may not be improper to suggest, 



428 zion's pathway. 

that all sin, if not forgiven, will sooner or later become unpar- 
donable. There is no forgiveness for those who die enemies 
to God. Such are reserved, with the angels who kept not 
their first estate, for an awful exhibition at the judgment of 
the great day, and for an endless existence amid the scenes, 
the sorrows, the anguish and despair of a miserable eternity. 
Let each thoughtless sinner reflect, and forsake his wickedness, 
lest sudden destruction come upon him. 

The question naturally arises — Why is the sin, here con- 
sidered, unpardonable ? For a definite and full answer, we 
shall doubtless be compelled to wait till the books of the last 
day are opened, and the reasons for God's various dealings 
with man are proclaimed to the universe. It is now one of 
those " secret things " which " belong unto the Lord our God." 
Perhaps the sin against the Holy Ghost approximates indefi- 
nitely near to that committed by the angels who fell. They 
must have been perfectly satisfied of the righteousness of the 
claims, which the Eternal had, upon their love and obedience ; 
and in order to the commission of the unpardonable sin, one 
must be fully convinced that the operations which he attributes 
to satanic influence, are effects of the Holy Ghost's agency. 
Is it not enough for us to know that the specified sin cannot 
be forgiven ? Should we attempt to open a book, the contents 
of which not even the Lion of the tribe of Judah hath au- 
thority to reveal to us while we are in time ? 

SANCTIFICATION. 

Commonly the term sanctification is used to designate those 
transforming operations, by which the polluted subjects of sin 
are prepared for the purity of heaven. It " is a work of God's 
Spirit, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the 
image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, 
and live unto righteousness." Though it naturally includes 



SANCTIFICATION. 429 

regeneration, yet the word is often employed to embrace only 
what occurs after that event. Much has been written respect- 
ing this subject ; more, however, probably, that is decidedly 
erroneous, than according to truth.* The moral condition 
implied in a state of complete sanctification, is the most desir- 
able conceivable ; to those in it, is guaranteed every good of 
which renewed sinners are capable in eternity. We must 
become spiritually pure, in order to be perfectly happy. 
"There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." Entire 
freedom from sin, secures completeness in blessedness. The 
happiness of Jehovah would be immediately interrupted, should 
the least moral impurity become attached to his character. 
Sanctification therefore, is just as desirable as are heaven and 
its joys. One begins to be made holy at the precise time in 
which the heart is renewed by the Spirit. Regeneration is 



* A few thoughts on Christian perfection. 1. God, as a moral Governor, 
can, under no circumstances whatever, require less of moral beings, than 
perfection in holiness. 2. As a righteous Ruler, he must originally have so 
capacitated his accountable creatures that they could comply with his laws. 
3. If any of them are in a fallen state, they may be consequently incapaci- 
tated to keep his laws perfectly. 4. Mankind are in a fallen condition. 
5., As intimated under the first head, the requirements of God respecting 
the human race cannot have varied from what they would be, had the race 
remained in original rectitude. The divine law is every where the rule of 
moral conduct. Even devils are bound by its enactments. 6. Hence no 
inference indicating that we are capable of Christian perfection can be legiti- 
mately drawn from the demands of the moral law ; these are necessarily 
immutable. No more was required of Adam unfallen, than of him fallen ; 
no more of holy angels than of apostate spirits. 7. Mankind are morally 
incapacitated to obey perfectly the law of God. 8. The way of life through 
Christ does not insure perfection to any this side of heaven. 9. It does 
guarantee perfection, as a future good, to all true penitents ; for it insures 
them a home with the holy. 10. True believers will not regard themselves 
as perfect. 11. All such, however, will desire perfection, and aim to attain 
it. 12. Those who reach in time the highest degree of sanctification, will 
not boast of their attainments, but will loathe themselves on account of their 
sins, and daily strive to grow in grace. 



430 zion's pathway. 

sanctification commenced. Our moral nature is wholly defiled 
till we are born again. The new birth originates a new life ; 
but as that change, though radical, is not entire, it is correctly 
designated the beginning of sanctification. An infant has 
begun to be what it will have become, when all its powers are 
fully developed. So he that has received the renewing grace 
of God, is incipiently a saint. In the former case, we style 
the change undergone, from infancy to maturity, growth ; in 
the latter, degrees of sanctification ; also, not inappropriately, 
it is designated advances in the divine life. From the helpless 
infant, arises the man of full stature ; and from the spiritual 
child, is formed the spotless occupant of a celestial mansion. 

That sanctification is progressive, appears from the experi- 
ence of believers ; also from the Scriptures ; perhaps I should 
add, from observation. A young convert may exhibit greater 
enthusiasm in sacred things, than does his elder in the Christian 
career; yet the first is sanctified less than the other. Mere ardor 
is not holiness. Piety ought to possess much zeal ; but zeal 
apparently for religion, is not necessarily always religious. 
The farther individuals are advanced in the divine life, the 
clearer are their views of sin. Paul had long served God, 
when he wrote thus of himself : " But I see another law in 
my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bring- 
ing me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my 
members. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver 
me from the body of this death ? " Let those, who must do it, 
confide in the cold theories concerning the apostle's object in 
the chapter from which the foregoing selection is made. His 
statements there, concerning himself, are verified by the expe- 
rience of every devoted Christian, who has for years walked 
humbly with God. Young converts do not at once find them- 
selves in the state he so emphatically described. 



SANCTIFICATION. 431 

" The new-born child of gospel grace, 

Like some fair tree, when summer's nigh, 
Beneath Emanuel's shining face, 

Lifts up his blooming branch on high. 

" No fears he feels — he sees no foes, 
No conflict yet his faith employs; 
Nor has he learned to whom he owes 
The strength and peace his soul enjoys." 

Not many years however pass, ere the youthful believer ascer- 
tains that he must fight or die ; he cannot be carried on 
" flowery beds." 

A healthful child, with proper treatment, increases in size 
and strength daily ; yet not even the eye of its mother can 
discover on any particular day the growth during the current 
twenty-four hours. Faithful followers of the Lamb may seem 
to themselves to be making a retrograde movement, and yet 
they are gradually fitting for heaven. They bear a nearer 
resemblance to their divine Master now, than they did a month 
or a week since. To them this statement may seem incorrect ; 
their Saviour knows it to be true. 

From the nature of the case, sanctification must be pro- 
gressive in all those instances, in which the renewed are 
continued for a season on earth, subsequent to their renewal. 
They become heirs of life eternal, when the saving change 
occurs ; but it is immediately and continually evident, that 
they are not wholly purified from their sins ; hence the work 
of preparation for heaven must be progressive, or it will never 
be completed. It is, however, the purpose of God, that at 
length it shall be completed. " He, which hath begun a good 
work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." 

The great Agent in it. 

The Holy Spirit sanctifies. No less is his agency demanded 
in the progress than in the commencement of the work by 



432 zion's pathway. 

which inhabitants are fitted for heaven out of the impure 
people of earth. In every stage of the transition from sin to 
holiness, up to the time of entering into rest, the believer 
must say, " By the grace of God, I am what I am." Apostles 
were inspired to give correct instruction on this subject, not 
less than on others deemed, by the Most High, essential. 
" We are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren, 
beloved of the Lord, because God hath, from the beginning, 
chosen you to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit 
and belief of the truth." Christ purchased, by his death, the 
influences of the Spirit to abide with all who believe in him. 
They cannot be left by this holy Agent, for he is pledged to 
continue with them and to aid them. The grace of Christ is 
always thus sufficient and near. That eternal purpose of mercy 
toward them, made manifest in their regeneration, secures the 
complete redemption of their souls and bodies. Having com- 
menced doing for his elect, God will not abandon them, but 
bring them to his kingdom of glory. 

Means necessary. 

While it is the Spirit's prerogative to sanctify, means must 
be used to promote sanctification. God is the preserver of life 
and the author of health ; yet who expects to be strong, or even 
to remain a month on earth, without the employment of appro- 
priate means ? We cannot become fitted for heaven by inac- 
tivity. " Gracious affections, both in the commencement and 
progress, are exercised in view of truth." A regenerate soul 
can no more be strengthened in righteousness and ripened for 
immortality, if it be not nourished, than can a human body 
increase in stature and be fit for service, without a regular and 
sufficient supply of nutritious food. Suitable exercise, in a 
salubrious moral atmosphere, is also absolutely essential to the 
spiritual believer. " Sanctify them through thy truth," was a 



SANCTIFICATION. 433 

petition of Christ. Fidelity in studying the Scriptures is an 
important means of sanctification. In vain shall we look for 
a Christian, growing in grace, who neglects the Bible. In 
that volume are the wells of salvation and the heavenly 
manna. From the Bible we learn what we ought to do and 
from what we should refrain ; it teaches us how the Spirit 
may be cherished, and in what ways he will be grieved. All 
the divinely appointed means of grace must receive careful 
and constant attention, or the work of sanctification cannot 
progress as it will if they be properly employed. The king 
of Zion has made no superfluous appointments for his subjects ; 
there are no idle ceremonies of his authorizing ; his church, as 
constituted by him, is pure from whatever is not essential to its 
prosperity. Strict conformity to the laws of the Eedeemer's 
kingdom, insures happiness now, and a perpetuity of it in un- 
sullied holiness forever. Faithful servants of the Saviour have 
reason to say, " We all, with open face, beholding, as in a 
glass, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image 
from glory to glory." " We know, that when he shall appear 
we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." 



Evidences of Sanctification. 

Evidence that we are the recipients of sanctifying grace is 
of the same nature with that which convinces us that we are 
born again. Proof of the heart's renewal is likewise proof of 
our having begun to be made holy. How can it be evinced that 
the heavenly birth is ours ? " If any man be in Christ, he is a 
new creature." Is it possible, that so great a change as this 
declaration implies, can be experienced and not be perceiva- 
ble? I refer not to the exact moment of its occurrence; 
but will it not manifest itself sooner or later ? May we not 
as well suppose that a child can be added to the world's popu- 
lation and continue to fill a place in its scenes for years, without 
37 



434 zion's pathway. 

itself or any one knowing of its existence, as that a person 
can be translated out of the kingdom of darkness into gospel 
light — be released from the bondage of Satan, and be made 
a freeman of the Lord, and the event be incapable of human 
proof? Such, certainly, is not the view presented by the 
Scriptures. They tell us, that the works of the flesh, that 
is, of the unrenewed state, are manifest, and they also give us 
quite a catalogue of these unholy developments. In marked 
contrast, and in close connection with sin's deeds, are named, 
the fruits of the Spirit ; which are, " love, joy, peace, long- 
suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." 
After the enumeration of the two classes, — the first, denomi- 
nated works of the flesh, the second, fruits of the Spirit, — 
we read, " And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh 
with the affections and lusts." 

The more sanctification progresses in an individual, the 
clearer are his views of sin, the greater is his sense of its ill- 
desert, and his desires after holiness are correspondingly 
increased. High spiritual attainments are secured by unaf- 
fected humility, distrust of self, and perseverance in sacred 
duties. All claims to the Christian's hope are forfeited, where 
there is a relinquishment of the duties enjoined by the gospel. 
If we love Christ, his ordinances will be precious unto us. 
" Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." 
" He that saith I know him, and keepeth not his command- 
ments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso 
keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected." 
An idea more abused could not be embraced, than is that 
divulged by certain advocates of sinless perfection. Claim- 
ing to be pure as the Saviour himself, they set at naught the 
Sabbath, the sanctuary, baptism and the communion table ; 
they have no closet ; no family altar ; and refuse to join in 
social prayer. We can conceive of none among the proba- 
tioners of the human race, who give more decided evidence of 



THE CHRISTIAN'S HOPE. 435 

being reprobates. If such be perfect, theirs must be a per- 
fection in wickedness, for they resemble devils distinctly, but 
Jesus Christ not in the least ; they are fit for hell ; heaven can 
be no home for them. 

When is the precise moment of the completion of sanetifi- 
cation ? A definite answer is not within our power. Two 
points, however, we may believe are settled ; and, first, saints 
are made entirely holy before they are admitted into heaven ; 
but, secondly, they are not free from sin a short time previous 
to their reception into the abode of the sinless. So much ap- 
pears obvious ; can more be stated with precision ? Our times 
are in the hands of God, and so is the work of fitting us for 
the joys of his holy kingdom. Whom he effectually calls, he 
justifies and glorifies. He that is born of the Holy Spirit, is 
never forsaken by that omnipotent Agent. The soul, lifted 
from the prison of sin, is eventually elevated to the skies. A 
purpose to regenerate, embraces the bringing to heaven of 
the renewed, and what the Lord has purposed, that will he 
perform. In the day when his jewels are made up, shall 
appear in divine beauty all that were spiritually born. 

THE CHRISTIAN'S HOPE. 

Hope is rather a passion than a principle. Its influence is 
extensive and powerful. Who is not affected by it ? In what 
breast does it not dwell ? A little reflection will convince any 
one, that he is very much controlled by it. This it is which 
cheers the adventurer as he departs in search of discovery, or 
conquest, or gain. Like a star, it shines upon the path of the 
bewildered and the wandering, pointing them to a home still 
dear, and kindred yet alive. Behold the weepers in the 
chamber of sickness ; they gather with flowing tears about 
the bed of their suffering and perhaps dying friend ; but while 
there is breath, hope lingers, nor will it depart till the failing 



436 zion's pathway. 

pulse has beat its own farewell. Seldom, truly, is there seen, 
on earth, an instance of absolute despair. To witness fre- 
quent specimens of that terrific state of the human mind, we 
must descend to a world, from which an immutable decree 
excludes every solace. 

u Regions of sorrow, doleful shades, where peace 
And rest can never dwell, hope never comes." 

In the present article, the writer's design is to present a few 
thoughts respecting the Christian's hope. Those indulging it, 
know well the import of the phrase ; but such as do not possess 
it, are not in a state to appreciate its preciousness, It has 
different degrees of vividness, but, in all cases, the possessor 
is looking heavenward ; is anticipating an entrance hereafter 
into the joys of God's eternal kingdom. More is embraced by 
it than simply one's own salvation. To define hope briefly, 
would be scarcely more than substituting other terms, perhaps 
less definite, for the one, the meaning of which the object is 
to illustrate. The hope of the Christian — what is it ? Just 
what the name naturally suggests ; a hope peculiar to him, 
who belongs by faith to Christ. Believers may be influenced 
by a thousand hopes, but this one is set above like the sun in 
the heavens, and of it we may affirm, 

1. It is well supported. On the Son of God it rests. His 
atoning merits are the basis upon which it stands, and it must 
be immovable, for they are unchangeable. The Rock of Ages 
is Christ declared to be. No other foundation can be laid, nor 
can this cease to be sure and ample. Here all believers have 
built their hopes of eternal life, and none of them have ever 
been disappointed in so doing. The divine promises centre 
in him ; hence the hope that has Christ for its foundation is 
encouraged and strengthened by these. God, manifest in the 
flesh, is he that was crucified as the Lamb of divine appoint- 
ment, and therefore the hope which rests on him is sustained 



THE CHRISTIAN'S HOPE. 437 

by the triune Jehovah, who, in three persons, is the one God 
of salvation, interposing by the cross. Furthermore, this 
hope results from the renewing and sanctifying agency of the 
Holy Spirit, whose influences were purchased for ruined man 
by the sacrificial death on Calvary. No unrenewed person 
can indulge it ; morally, he is utterly incapacitated to receive 
it, while he remains in a state of nature. 

Religious hopes there are in vast variety. Few are the 
persons who are destitute of one ; yet only a single class of 
them is founded on Christ, or is sustained by the promises of 
God, or is the fruit of regeneration. We might take up, and 
inspect any one of the numerous hopes indulged by the error- 
ist or the deceived, and not an example could be found among 
either, which is entitled to the least respect. Each is palpably 
unscriptural, impious, and destined to perish. The hope of 
the hypocrite shall be cut off, and his trust be as the spider's 
web, yet his profession is not more without support, than is that 
of the formalist, or of the heretic. Men, who devoutly bow 
to idol shrines, and expect to reap eternal exemption from sor- 
row, as the natural harvest of the seed which they now scatter, 
are not doomed to more certain disappointment, than are those 
on whom the gospel shines, yet who make to themselves hopes 
of future blessedness, contrary to its revelations. " The eyes 
of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their 
hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost." Many are the 
preliminary exercises of mind, which must be experienced 
before a hope known to be well founded can be cherished by 
any person. I say known ; this may be too strong a term. Not 
every one entitled to a cheering hope of heaven is confident of 
being in the way thither. By faith, rather than assurance, even 
the saints walk. Only here and there a disciple dares to assert 
himself sure that his name is in the book of life. It should never 
be considered as the great end of conviction to acquire a hope. 
Far too much stress is often laid upon the getting of a hope. 
37* 



438 

Individuals are fond enough of its comfort. To the contrite, 
salvation is sure, though they live in despair. No man is eleva- 
ted to heaven, because he confidently expects to be saved. All 
about us are seen persons anticipating life eternal, who can 
show no good foundation for their hopes. Never should we 
be zealous to inspire any persons with the confidence that their 
souls are free from danger. Safe indeed they are if penitent, 
for all such God adopts into his family. Our heavenly Father 
will not withhold needful tokens of his favor from the humble. 
Strive to show sinners their guilt, danger, and remedy, and 
let a hope in every case be the gift of the Omniscient Lord ; 
then, if granted at all, it will be sure and steadfast, passing 
" within the veil, whither the forerunner is for us entered, 
even Jesus, made an high priest forever, after the order of 
Melchisedec." Such a hope, no trials with the heart or in the 
world can destroy, though its lustre be for a time lessened. 

2. It is a comforting hope. But in this respect it seems not 
always so distinctively marked, as it really is. False hopes 
appear, at times, to cheer those holding them. Haters of holi- 
ness have now and then died with professed exultations in the 
prospect of realizing as true, that which they have held as the 
faith once delivered to the saints, yet what the Scriptures 
assert to be error. Now, however much their hopes animate 
them, it is evidently delusion, not reality, which throws a mock 
halo around such dying scenes. Whatever in religion is sus- 
ceptible of being imitated, has been by that being whose high- 
est zeal is exerted in attempts to counterfeit the fruits of the 
Spirit. False hopes are his most highly prized products. To 
see human creatures clapping their hands for joy, as the night 
of life is shutting upon them, when he knows that in a few 
moments they will begin to be eternally miserable, affords him 
the greatest pleasure. Let it therefore never be affirmed, 
that a hope is proved good, simply upon the testimony of the 
dying. 



THE CHRISTIAN'S HOPE. 439 

Were the regenerate made perfectly holy at the time of 
their renewal, they could hardly need the help of a hope. 
Being conscious of freedom from all sin, assurance of accep- 
tance with God would immediately begin, and abide. An eter- 
nal home with him must be theirs beyond a doubt. None are, 
however, perfect then, or at any time subsequently while on 
probation. The purest of the pious are conscious of such 
degrees of impurity, as to make them feel often wholly sinful. 
It seems to them as if the light shining within, only reveals 
their immeasurable iniquity. How can those so much defiled 
be the children of the Most High ? This to them is a serious 
and very practical question. Every duty attempted has been 
imperfectly performed ; faith always feeble, sometimes waver- 
ing, fails to see heaven open ; then it is that hope, like an 
angel from above, affords its timely assistance, and saves from 
despair the disconsolate believer. 

" Amidst temptations, sharp and long, 
My soul to this dear refuge flies ; 
Hope is my anchor, firm and strong, 
While tempests blow, and billows rise." 

An eminent writer has said, " Matters will more or less 
hang dubiously with us all, in this reign of mortality." If 
we do not doubt the divine ability to save, or that the regene- 
rate will be brought home to heaven, yet our hearts may fre- 
quently be distressed, lest sanctification have never begun in 
us. I speak, of course, respecting the prayerful only. The 
humblest believer fears much that he has not known, savingly, 
Jesus Christ. 

" When I turn my eyes within, 

All is dark, and vain, and wild ; 

Filled with unbelief and sin, 

Can I deem myself a child ? " 

Numerous, overwhelming, and perhaps it may be said, mys- 
terious, are the trials, which at times come upon the Christian. 



440 zion's pathway. 



" All thy waves and thy billows are gone over me." Sorrow 

is often his companion, and he is led to think Jehovah is his 

enemy. Darkness shuts him in on every side, and over him 

blackness itself is centred ; but lo, a star pierces through the 

gloom, and a voice, as if borne on its brightness, says to the 

desponding saint, " Hope thou in God." Inspired with new 

courage, this child of the skies rejoicingly exclaims, " Why art 

thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within 

me ? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, who is 

the health of my countenance and my God." Thus as the 

vessel is saved from ruin, by its well made and firmly grasping 

anchor, so is the Christian held from despair by hope ; nor shall 

it ever fail, for it is fastened to the throne of God. The 

Father of lights is not now less merciful, this kind influence 

whispers, though he seem to have forgotten his own gracious- 

ness, than when with infinite benignity he smiles upon the 

soul. 

" Whate'er my fears, or foes suggest, 
Thou art my hope, my joy, my rest ; 
My heart shall feel thy love, and raise 
My cheerful voice to songs of praise." 

Though the Christian's hope have special reference to his 
own personal interest in the Saviour, it is not wholly discon- 
nected with others' spiritual well-being. The child of God is 
not alone in pursuit of the crown of life. He belongs to the 
household of faith, and his mind is necessarily occupied much 
in the general concerns of the church ; her sorrows are his, 
and they fill him with bitterness. By her condition, his faith 
is frequently tried. Adverse winds blow upon the city of the 
great King ; hosts encamp against it ; hell's fires seem almost 
ready to melt its walls, and the elect of the Lord tremble. 
Still, in the most dreadful hour, there is hope that present 
terror will pass away. The promises are plain, that eventu- 
ally there will be an overthrow of all opposition, and that com- 






THE CHRISTIAN'S HOPE. 441 

plete victory shall be granted to Zion. " There is a river, the 
streams whereof shall make glad the city of God ; the holy 
place of the tabernacles of the Most High. God is in the 
midst of her, she shall not be moved ; God shall help her, and 
that right early." Hope, always pointing to the promises, lifts 
up the saint's drooping head ; she fails not to comfort, when all 
else in the mind has lost the power of dispelling doubt. Ages 
yet future shall witness the passing away of the clouds so often 
dimming the prospects of the truth. 

Amid the sorrows attendant upon a pilgrimage in the nar- 
row way of life, whatever be their specific character, hope im- 
parts pleasing aid. Its voice is smooth as the notes of the 
sweetest music ; without flattery it speaks encouragingly ; 
never deceiving, it is ever smiling. Blessed boon from hea- 
ven; worth more than all earthly treasures is it to him, that 
has a right to its comforting friendship. Let it gild the path 
we tread with its light, and ever cheer us in our sojourning, 
till we reach the place of cherubim and seraphim. 

3. It is a purifying hope. To this affirmation inspiration 
guides us. " Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth 
himself." The believer is, according to this statement, con- 
tinually engaged in efforts to be freed from sin, for scriptural 
purity is nothing more or less than such deliverance. Action, 
present and continuous, has this end in view. While life re- 
maineth, the purifying process is diligently carried forward by 
each follower of Jesus. The Holy Spirit is that divine Agent 
who fits men for heaven ; he, however, works in them in such 
a way, that they w r ork out their own salvation with fear and 
trembling. Where his power is employed, human agency is 
invariably called into exercise. In other words, every indi- 
vidual to whom the Spirit gives a new heart and a good hope, 
is striving to overcome sin. One may have been engaged in 
the warfare fifty years ; yet will it never cease to be true in 



442 zion's pathway. 

time that he is thus exerting himself ; while he remains on 
earth, the warfare must proceed. 

" Thy arduous work will not be done, 
Till thou obtain thy crown." 

Persons regarding themselves as sinless, should be consid- 
ered as " aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and stran- 
gers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without 
God in the world." It is a distinctive mark of Christ's 
disciples, that they are habitually engaged in purifying them- 
selves. No thought can be more distant from the humble 
Christian, than that he has no sin. The fact is stated in the 
Bible, (that all having the good hope, are aiming continually 
to resemble their holy Master,) not for the purpose of eliciting 
debate, but as one of great importance, and never to be held in 
doubt. It cannot be otherwise, than that perfect freedom from 
sin is the earnest desire of those who have been made par- 
takers of saving grace. Satisfaction with present attainments 
in holiness is impossible ; such desire to be like Christ, but 
they find themselves immeasurably below their standard. 
Complete preparation for heaven is the mark at which they 
aim, yet so distant does it seem, that no moment should be lost 
in efforts to gain it. Ah how little purity, and what an amount 
of impurity, does the light of truth exhibit, in the soul begun 
to be cleansed ! 

"My God, I cry with every breath, 
For some kind power to save ; 
To break the yoke of sin and death, 
And thus redeem the slave." 

The zeal for purity inspired by the Christian hope, looks to 
a complete redemption from all doctrines hostile to those 
revealed by God. Have they been harbored ; now they 
are abhorred ; but having been deep rooted, their entire 
removal is difficult. Some of the renewed must long struggle, 



GRIEVING THE SPIRIT. 443 

in order to put away what they had formerly cherished. 
Habits too, indulged for years, and almost inveterate, must be 
broken up, when one becomes a new creature in Christ. 
These pertain to modes of thinking, speaking and acting. 
Girding on the divine panoply, the soldier of the cross resists 
every thing of this nature. " Be not conformed to this 
world," is a daily practical maxim with such as hope on 
substantial grounds. Correcting what has been outwardly 
wrong is important, and will by no means be omitted. If, 
however, all that is purely theoretical and external be right, 
within, as has been above stated, is a fountain of evil. 
Over this, the believer has constant reason to weep and 
to pray without ceasing, that he may become pure as is 
Christ the Lord. But I must close these hints, and in so 
doing, add, that it is a lively hope which the believer pos- 
sesses. Heavenly is a term which designates well its nature. 
From above it came ; not less than faith is it the gift of God. 
He, by his Spirit, gives the good hope of being some time, and 
forever, with the Redeemer. Upwards it sweetly lifts the soul, 
when dreariness reigns around ; thither, too, it points her when 
earth seems too winning. Myriads of allurements cannot en- 
chain those, who possess the animating hope anchored within 
the veil. They desire, most earnestly, a fitness to be with and 
like Jesus, even though every thing below is as attractive to 
them as the curse can permit. 



GRIEVING THE SPIRIT. 

In the great scheme of salvation, the united agencies of the 
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are employed. The latter, 
though not less a distinct person in the Godhead than either 
of the others, is not unfrequently represented as an influence. 
Nor is there any inconsistency in the two-fold presentation of 
his operation, for his office in the economy of grace, is subordi- 



444 zion's pathway. 

nate to those of the other persons in the Trinity, while in 
nature, he is one with them. 



Ways in which the Spirit may he grieved. 

We grieve the Spirit, when we indulge unholy feelings, 
whether they be simply cherished, or developed in outward 
acts. His nature is pure, and can have no complacency in 
evil thinking and acting. " Be ye angry and sin not ; let not 
the sun go down upon your wrath ; neither give place to the 
devil." This divine Agent has multiplied maxims, by which 
our hearts and lives may be so regulated, as not to incur the 
condemnation of those who vex him, and he has aimed his 
cautions not less at the affections, than at the external deport- 
ment. What to him are mere outward actings ? 

The Spirit is grieved if his operations are undervalued. It 
is a doctrine of the Bible, that we are dependent on him for 
conviction, regeneration, and sanctification. No intelligent 
Christian will question the correctness of this statement ; yet 
a true believer cannot be found, who is not liable to think less 
highly than he ought of what the Holy Ghost did for him, 
in making him a new creature, and what the same Being is 
daily doing, to prepare him for the society of the perfect. 
Certainly there is danger that God's own children will not 
uniformly feel their need of the Spirit's presence with them. 
All genuine revivals of religion are begun, and caused to pro- 
gress, by divine efficiency. Excitements there may be, and 
numerous nominal conversions, without the agency of the 
Spirit ; but man is not benefited, nor is the Lord honored by 
such phenomena. All thus reckoned among believers will 
soon fall, not from grace, but from the height to which a species 
of mental intoxication has elevated them. Whenever the peo- 
ple of God forget that themselves are momentarily dependent 
on the Spirit for their growth in holiness, and that hope for 



GRIEVING THE SPIRIT. 445 

sinners can be based only on his merciful presence, then do 
they grieve him. Polytheistic superstitions can be destroyed, 
and the deluded slaves of idolatrous rites be brought to wor- 
ship the true Jehovah, by nothing except the omnipotent power 
of the Holy Ghost. 

" Who but thou, Almighty Spirit, 

Can the heathen world reclaim ? 
Men may preach, but till thou favor, 
Pagans will be still the same." 

If the means appointed by infinite Wisdom, to secure his 
saving influences, be not suitably esteemed, the Spirit is 
grieved. These are the channels through which he ordinarily 
comes to the hearts and souls of men. His visits are merciful,, 
and he rejoices to bless all whom he finds waiting for him in 
the way divinely appointed. Many are left in sin, who, had 
they placed themselves in the sphere of his special operations, 
would have been saved. Inspiration has declared it to be the 
pleasure of God that the wicked turn from his course of trans- 
gressions, and live ; hence we may regard the Spirit as grieved 
when individuals persist in treading the broad way of death. 
It is he who cries unto them, " Seek ye the Lord while he 
may be found, call ye upon him while he is near." Moreover, 
he exhorts and comm^pis believers to grow in grace ; yet they 
never can thus progress while neglectful of those means which 
promote holy attainments. There is but one method by which 
the renewed can be daily transforming into the image of 
Christ; hence, if this be discarded, the Holy Ghost must 
grieve over the worldliness of those whom he has already 
formed into sons and daughters of the Lord. 

Allied to the way of grieving the Spirit just named, I men- 
tion as another, the slighting of his visits, when, in spite of all 
obstacles, he deigns to transcend, by his compassion, our ill- 
desert, and to draw near to our souls. How important are 
such interviews! Without them saints will sin, and the 
38 



446 zion's pathway. 

impenitent never be raised from their degradation to holiness ; 
and yet it is perfectly natural to let the calls of the world drown 
the whispers of the Spirit. Who does not sometimes feel spe- 
cially impressed with a sense of the value of sacred things ? 
Suddenly the Spirit comes nigh to the Christian, and bids him 
pray. If the suggestion be not heeded, it is slighted. Sinners 
not unfrequently are brought to an abrupt pause in the midst 
of a high career of madness. At such times the Holy Ghost 
is by their side, ready to bless if his monitions are regarded, 
but perhaps not designing to display his sovereignty in subduing 
those, whose attention he has arrested. It has been said of 
the Spirit, that " he bestows his richest favors, where they will 
be most coveted and most prized." Therefore, if we would 
enjoy his benign presence, " we must take care to maintain a 
deportment, suited to the character of that divine Agent." 

To fellowship religious error is a direct way by which to 
grieve the Spirit. Essential doctrines stand on record as the 
result of his inspiration. Why did he move holy men to write, 
if it were not that all might read, believe, obey, and be blessed ? 
He communicated nothing to those who were his amanuenses, 
except what is important for the human family to know. What- 
ever he has seen fit to dictate, they should cordially receive. 
Can he be otherwise than grieved, whafc^any, especially those 
who profess strict conformity to the word, are found conniv- 
ing at erroneous opinions in matters of faith ? The Holy 
Ghost has, through the apostles, made very important sugges- 
tions on this subject. " If any man preach any other gospel 
unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." 
Gal. 1 : 9. We must carefully search for the truth, and fear- 
lessly defend it. It is necessary to contend earnestly for that 
system of doctrines which was once delivered to the saints. 
Not to enter farther into specifications, it may be stated in 
general, that those who would not grieve the Spirit must 
cautiously attend to all his instructions ; keeping with great 



GRIEVING THE SPIRIT. 447 

diligence their hearts ; guarding their lips ; being particular 
in respect to associates ; frequenting their closets ; availing 
themselves of the means of grace within their reach ; in a 
word, endeavoring to do every thing to the glory of God. All 
who thus exert themselves he will help, and make intercessions 
for them " with groanings which cannot be uttered." 



Consequences of grieving the Spirit. 

If we are dependent upon the Holy Ghost for the commence- 
ment and the continuance of holy exercises ; if to regenerate 
and sanctify be his prerogative, then does it become us to guard 
most zealously against grieving him, for the consequences can- 
not be otherwise than fearful. On this point we are duly ad- 
monished in the Scriptures. " My Spirit shall not always 
strive with man." Gen. 6:3. " But they rebelled, and vexed 
his Holy Spirit ; therefore, he was turned to be their enemy, and 
he fought against them." Isa. 63 : 10. Something like to what 
is asserted in this last passage, may have occurred in respect to 
thousands in modern times. It is in place here to quote that 
terrific passage in 2 Thess. 2 : 11, 12 : " And for this cause, 
God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe 
a lie ; that they all might be damned who believed not the 
truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." Heart-rending 
expressions come to us from those death-bed scenes, where the 
victims of dissolution appear to have been pointed out in the 
passage just quoted. " I have grieved his Holy Spirit so 
often, that he has justly withdrawn his influences from me, and 
in the room thereof has left me the spirit of impenitence and 
reprobation, and given me a certain earnest of a fearful inheri- 
tance in another life." * The following testimony is from a 

* Hon. F. Newport. 



448 zion's pathway. 

Venetian, who after having embraced Protestantism, renounced 
it through fear of the Pope. " I know that God is merciful, 
but this mercy belongs not to me — to me, who have denied the 
truth. I have sinned against the Holy Ghost ; I already feel 
the horrors of the damned. My terrors are insupportable ! 
Who will deliver my soul from this body ? Who will open 
for her the caverns of the abyss ? Who will chase her into 
the darkest abodes of hell ? I am damned without resource. 
I consider God no longer as my Father, but as my enemy. I 
detest him as such. I am impatient to join the curses of the 
demons in hell, whose pains and horrors I already feel." * 
The case of Altamont, as described by Dr. Young, is another 
shocking instance. After declaring that heaven is lost, he ex- 
claims, " Oh thou blasphemed, yet indulgent Lord God, hell 
itself is a refuge, if it hide me from thy frown." By recurring 
to the article on the deaths of infidels, the reader will find fur- 
ther extracts from the sayings of this dying young man.f Ac- 
counts not unlike the above are frequently published in the 
form of tracts. It would be easy to fill pages of this volume 
with extracts, in which persons — some of them in the morn- 
ing of life, and others more advanced — have confessed that 
they were once subjects of divine operations, but having 
grieved the Spirit, they have been left of him to become utter- 
ly hardened in impenitency. There is a sin for which no par- 
don has been provided : the apostle John styles it " a sin unto 
death ; " and Christ informs us how it is committed. " Who- 
soever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be for- 
given him ; neither in this world, neither in the world to come." 
Matt. 12 : 32. Let those to whom the Spirit whispers, beware 
how they treat his kind approaches, lest he leave them to go on 
in sin beyond that line, on the other side of which, mercy is 
never shown to the guilty. 

* See Saurin's 89th Sermon. t Page 220. 



GRIEVING THE SPIRIT. 449 

With undoubting confidence does the writer embrace the 
sentiment, that all who have been born again will hold on their 
way, till admittance into heaven shall have completed the 
period of their imperfection. Still the degrees of light reflected 
by the regenerate are various. The good which believers 
accomplish, is often far less than it should be. How are their 
deficiencies to be explained ? Evidently the Spirit to whom 
they are indebted for a disposition and ability to be co-workers 
with God, is driven from them; not indeed wholly, but so far 
as to leave them careless and unfruitful in the works of right- 
eousness. " As we are indebted to the Spirit for the first forma- 
tion of divine life ; so it is he who alone can maintain it and 
render it strong and vigorous." Most injurious to the Christian 
himself, are his repellings of this glorious personage, without 
whom " nothing can be done or attained to any important pur- 
pose in religion." No infant is more constantly and absolutely 
dependent on the strength and assiduity of others, than is every 
child of God on the Holy Ghost ; with what rapture, there- 
fore, should the Lord's chosen reflect on the assurance that he 
is willing to grant them gracious influences. " If ye then, 
being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how 
much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to 
them that ask him! " Luke 11 : 13. How animating to the 
disciples of Jesus, are his words to them, uttered just as he 
was preparing to withdraw from earthly scenes. " And I will 
pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, 
that he may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth." 
John 14 : 16, 17. If any, who are enrolled among the nomi- 
nal friends of the Redeemer, are cold and formal in religion, 
they may not attribute their state to the sovereignty of God 
in withholding sacred influences. They have grieved the 
Spirit ; on themselves rests the guilt of their unbecoming and 
criminal condition ; but should they not speedily repent of 
this wickedness, Jehovah, in righteous anger, may leave them 
38* 



450 zion's pathway. 

for a long time, as he often did his ancient erring people. 
" They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek 
the Lord ; but they shall not find him ; he hath withdrawn 
himself from them." Hos. 5 : 6. Why was Israel so fre- 
quently subdued by enemies ? In every case, and the 
instances were numerous, the incipient cause was grieving 
the Holy Spirit. Had the Israelites never incurred this 
charge, no hostile nations could have gained advantage over 
them. Churches always are strong or weak, according as they 
secure the presence of this Almighty Agent, or induce him to 
withdraw from them. Zion languisheth at present, in this or 
that place, because the Spirit is not there to bless. Desola- 
tion must continue till he come again with saving help. Weep 
over your sins, ye that have banished the Comforter, and im- 
portunately beseech his return. 

PRAYER. 

Prayer has been frequently and variously defined ; he, 
however, understands its nature best, who is most in its exer- 
cise. No set expressions can convey a correct idea of what it 
is, to him who never draws acceptably near to God. It is the 
golden chain which joins the soul of the humble suppliant on 
earth, to the heart of him sitting on the throne in the heavens. 
Words are not essential to the offering of prayer, though they 
are appropriate. Jehovah hears thoughts ; he reads the lan- 
guage of feelings. That definition of an ancient assembly of 
divines, so long admired, is thus expressed : " Prayer is the 
offering up of our desires to God, for things agreeable to his 
will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and 
thankful acknowledgment of his mercies." Much having the 
name of prayer, would be excluded, and justly, by this ex- 
position. 

There are different parts of prayer, such as invocation, or a 



PRAYER. 451 

calling upon the Most High for assistance in the performance ; 
adoration, in which the greatness of the Being approached is 
acknowledged, and also the unworthiness of the suppliant to 
appear before him ; confession, wherein both sins of omission 
and commission are admitted to have been many, unreason- 
able and aggravated ; and also their eternal demerit ex- 
pressed, as known and in a measure felt ; thanksgiving for 
favors already received, and which have been numberless, yet 
each, could its value be fully seen, would call forth the most 
fervent expressions of gratitude ; petitions, which are appro- 
priately presented subsequently to the parts previously named. 
No limit is here set, provided the petitioner come before the 
throne, with just apprehensions of the Being addressed, and of 
his own relation as a dependent, guilty, needy creature. The 
whole should be concluded with a general ascription of power, 
glory, and praise to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. It is 
not, indeed, requisite that every prayer should possess all these 
parts developed ; yet every intelligent Christian must see that 
they naturally constitute what may be termed a systematic 
prayer. 

Prayer as a Duty. 

Our relations to the Supreme Being, obviously make it 
obligatory upon us to pray unto him. In our weakness, strength 
should be sought from above. Thence, too, illumination ought 
to be invoked, that we may be children of light, walking in the 
beams of the Lord's countenance. Dangers threaten all around, 
from which, or through which, none but God can guard us. 
Being the recipients of hourly blessings, without ceasing, we 
should make grateful returns to their infinite Source. Now on 
probation, and soon to appear at the bar of Him who made 
and preserves us, and to whom we must give account for all our 
conduct, we ought frequently and earnestly to seek guidance 



452 zion's pathway. 

and grace, that we may so live on earth, as to share in the 
eternal benedictions of Jehovah. 

The light of nature alone teaches men that they ought to 
pray. We find that among all nations where any forms of 
religion are observed, that this is one, and by no means 
regarded as of little consequence. The thousands of smoking 
heathen altars are surrounded by devotees, devoutly suppli- 
cating the deities whom their nations adore. We have a 
more sure word of prophecy. The Scriptures guide us unto 
the throne of grace ; they direct us to seek the Lord ; to call 
upon him and give him no rest. We are exhorted to watch 
and to pray ; to do it without ceasing. " Praying always with 
all prayer, and supplication in the Spirit, and watching there- 
unto with all perseverance." We are directed in every thing 
to let our requests be made known unto God. It is declared 
to be the will of God, " that men pray every where, lifting up 
holy hands without wrath and doubting." 

Necessary Qualifications. 

No one can offer acceptable prayer without a firm belief in 
the divine existence. " For he that cometh to God, must 
believe that he is." We cannot pray to a nonentity. A 
secpticism in regard to the point, whether there be a God, 
necessarily shuts one up to practical atheism. Some correct- 
ness of views, in respect to the attributes and character of the 
Supreme Being, is essential. Those having the Scriptures, 
must receive their testimony. A first duty with each to 
whom that volume comes, is to embrace fully its doctrines on 
all subjects. It will be mocking the Holy One, to approach 
Him in prayer, if his own testimony concerning himself be 
not admitted. Doubts may sometimes disturb the mind of the 
humble ; but they are altogether unwelcome, and help is 
immediately sought for their expulsion. Prayers must be 



PRAYER. 453 

offered to God through Christ, and not to or through saints 
and angels. These finite creatures have no power to prevail 
with the Almighty ; praise, not prayer, is their employment. 
What do they know of our hearts, without an acquaintance 
with which it cannot be decided that our prayers ought to be 
accepted ? Moreover, some whom men rank with the saved, 
and supplicate, perhaps, as patron saints, may be with the 
irrecoverably lost in hell. In saying that prayers should be 
addressed to God only, the design is not to specify the Father 
in distinction from the Son and the Spirit ; for these are truly 
God. Primitive Christians prayed directly to the Redeemer. 
It is both common and scriptural to call upon the Holy 
Ghost in prayer. With great frequency his aid is invoked 
in worship. 

Again : a just estimate of ourselves is demanded, in order 
that our prayers be accepted. We must feel that we are 
dependent, guilty and needy. " My help cometh from the 
Lord." " We have sinned and have committed iniquity, and 
have done wickedly, and have rebelled even by departing from 
thy precepts and from thy judgments." " Help me, O Lord, 
my God." " Give us help from trouble, for vain is the help of 
man." Christ has exhibited, in the parable of the Pharisee 
and publican, both the wrong and the right state of mind in 
our supplications to the Most High. 

Such favors must be sought as there is reason to suppose 
God can consistently bestow. It would be improper to ask for 
sunshine at midnight ; for harvest in spring ; for rain and a 
clear sky at the same time. We may not pray for health, 
while disregarding its established laws. Miracles are not to 
be sought in this age, nor could they ever be lawfully asked 
to counteract the folly of the suppliant. Not even the salva- 
tion of the soul ought to be asked in prayer, except that it 
may be secured in accordance with gospel provisions. What 
more decided mark can there be of hostility to Jehovah, than 



454 zion's pathway. 

praying to be delivered from the wrath to come, without an 
abandonment of the wickedness inevitably conducting to it ? 
Nor should we ever supplicate for things in themselves proper, 
except in profound submission to the divine will. Otherwise 
God may, in judgment, grant our requests. Thus it often has 
occurred. A blessing far richer than the one desired may be 
conferred, if we leave ourselves entirely with infinite Wisdom. 
" Call unto me and I will answer thee, and show thee great 
and mighty things, which thou knowest not." The submission 
exhibited by the Saviour while agonizing in the garden, ought 
to be imitated in all our comings to the throne of mercy. 
" Not my will, but thine be done." Grateful remembrance of 
mercies received is needful, if we would increase their number 
by asking of the Lord. Why should we be farther indulged, 
if insensibility has hitherto characterized us, as recipients? 
" Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord hath 
spoken ; I have nourished and brought up children, and they 
have rebelled against me." 

A forgiving frame of mind must be possessed by those who 
would meet with acceptance in prayer. " For, if ye forgive 
men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive 
you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will 
your Father forgive your trespasses." It is possible, that at 
all times we have enemies ; hence it is requisite that a forgiv- 
ing spirit be uniformly ours. Christ's pattern prayer teaches 
us to seek forgiveness of God as we forgive our enemies. 
Now, if they be not forgiven, then our petition is that God 
will not forgive us. Fearful is the position of him, who, hav- 
ing knelt before his Maker, cherishes in his breast hatred 
toward a fellow-creature. 

Prayers should be ardent. " God often defers our suit, 
because he loves to have us importunate." Witness the plea 
of Abraham for Sodom ; Moses' intercessions on several 



PRAYER. 455 

occasions for the rebellious Israelites ; David's supplications 
for the life of his children ; Daniel's prayer for the termina- 
tion of the seventy years' captivity ; peruse Ezra's confes- 
sions and petitions at Jerusalem, when he was reforming long 
continued abuses ; hear the cry of Habakkuk for a revival ; 
see how persevering and earnest certain persons were who 
went to Jesus for help, in the days of his sojourn on earth ; 
mark the Messiah himself in Gethsemane. It was an earnest 
petition which the Tarsian persecutor offered from his humble 
place in the dust near Damascus. The assembled church 
supplicated most fervently, as the record of their gatherings, 
soon after the ascension of the Saviour, show. Dull praying 
can accomplish but little good. The flesh may be weak, but 
the spirit should be devout. How small the interest, that 
permits the petitioner to fall asleep while before the judge 
whose mercy he invokes. There may be much earnestness 
without even the utterance of an audible word. Such was 
the fact with Hannah ; " she was in bitterness of soul, and 
prayed unto the Lord and wept sore." It is added, " she 
spake in her heart ; only her lips moved, but her voice was 
not heard." 1 Sam. 1. In all the addresses of man to his 
Maker, regard should be had to the divine glory. 

Prayer has what may be designated its circumstantials ; 
under which term are ranked language and posture. Cer- 
tainly, the style of addressing the Sovereign of worlds, ought 
not to be just like that appropriately used in conversation with 
an equal. On this point, however, we need only consult the 
Scriptures. The phraseology employed in the prayers there 
found are suitable for every age ; and who does not know that 
it is far removed from that extreme of the familiar and collo- 
quial manner sometimes heard ? Nor was the Most High 
approached by ancient saints, as if he were in every sense 
infinitely removed from his creatures. Believers, whose 
prayers are on the sacred record, evidently felt that they 



456 zion's pathway. 

came near to God, and they recognized in "him i( a great 
King over all the earth." Genuine piety is shocked by that 
peculiar freeness of words in prayer, which implies no awe 
upon the soul. Where feeling is deep, there is not much 
danger in respect to language. Strong, sanctified emotion 
will seek suitable terms, which, grammatical or ungrammati- 
cal, sound well, because they are the medium of acceptable 
address to God. Not the most fastidious ear complains of the 
language flowing from lips moved by a glowing heart. Burn- 
ing love to Christ atones for a thousand mistakes in expression. 
Of errors in the words of prayer, his are the most offensive, 
who makes a display of learning, while leading the devotions 
of an assembly. What art thou, vain mortal, attempting 
before thy Maker ? Articulate sounds, as before intimated, 
are not essential to the acceptableness of prayer ; yet words 
are needful for the best development of spiritual emotions. 
There are, indeed, groanings which cannot be uttered. The 
soul, however, generally seeks an audible utterance. Forbid 
her doing it, and her inward fires may be smothered. Though 
God do not need that we should employ our organs of speech 
in order that he may ascertain the heart's condition, we need 
them for our own good. It is not in our power to be so in- 
wardly conversant with all the springs of the soul, as to know 
how they are prepared to act before we call them into action. 
No better exercise for disciplining the heart can be found 
than that which consists in giving definiteness to its emotions 
in the words of prayer. Thanks to God, we may converse 
with him, in meditation, when, by reason of weakness, we are 
destitute of the ability of holding communion in words with 
our fellow-men ; but ah, how little do those avail themselves of 
this high privilege, who, blest with the gift of speech, in health- 
fulness and activity, never lift up their voice unto him ! Let 
the heart, the lips, and the tongue, all unite in prayer, 
Whether or not, we may employ printed forms of prayer 



PRATER. 457 

needs no special argument on either side. The question in 
regard to them is simply one of expediency. Let those who 
can best serve God by using forms, avail themselves of such 
helps ; but let no human authority attempt to bind a single 
rational creature to a limited or unlimited adherence to them. 
Jehovah forbids the soul to be thus bound down to any stereo- 
type modes of addressing him. Where the Spirit of the Lord 
is, there is liberty, and this divine Agent often works won- 
drously, and sometimes very suddenly in the heart of the 
suppliant. Prayer is direct communion of the soul with her 
Sovereign, the beamings of whose countenance have, at times, 
a most transforming power. Shall a fellow-being dictate to 
me the terms in which I must call upon the Lord in the day 
of trouble, or when prosperity shineth as mid-day brightness ? 
Must I go unto a book, before I can speak unto my Maker ? 
That would be tyranny indeed ! No earthly authority should 
ever prescribe the only words by which one may tell Jehovah 
his grief and joy, hope and fear. Face to face, the suppliant 
may speak to the Lord. " In the primitive simplicity of the 
Jewish church, there is no evidence that its worship was con- 
ducted by forms, though, in its degeneracy, they were intro- 
duced and greatly multiplied. Nor can it be alleged with any 
plausibility, that a liturgy was prescribed by the authority of 
Christ, or sanctioned by primitive apostolical usage in his 
church." * 

Posture in prayer is a point of some interest. Standing and 
kneeling have been practised in all ages, we have reason to 
believe. Entire prostration upon the ground has been some- 
times adopted, and this posture is indicative of great depres- 
sion of soul, an overwhelming sense of need and unworthiness. 
These three postures are all which the Scriptures countenance, 



*Dr. Porter. 
39 



458 zion's pathway. 

and it is well for us not to be innovators, where divine regula- 
tions are established. 

A word is required respecting the length of prayers. This, 
of course, should vary according to circumstances ; but we are 
never heard for our much speaking. "It is far better to pray 
often, than to make long prayers." An eminent Christian has 
remarked, " I do my errand at the throne of grace most 
directly, when I have the best spirit of prayer." The follow- 
ing rebuke once administered, is often applicable : " You 
prayed me into a good frame, and you prayed me out of it." 
Christ has left us a timely caution : " Use not vain repetitions." 
In the retirement of the closet, we are in no danger of con- 
tinuing too long on our knees before God ; in social meetings, 
and in public assemblies, it is necessary to be short. 

Motives to Pray. 

These are many and powerful. By coming aright to the 
Lord, we discharge an important duty, and avail ourselves of 
a high privilege, as well as enjoy the greatest honor allowed 
to men on earth. It is admittance into the audience chamber 
of the King of the universe, with entire freedom, in making 
known our requests. We may come boldly unto the throne 
of grace, and find help in time of need. How broad the 
assurance : " Ask, and it shall be given you ; seek, and ye 
shall find ; knock, and it shall be opened unto you ; for 
every one that asketh receiveth ; and he that seeketh findeth ; 
and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened." Heaven has 
no blessing, which man is capable of enjoying, that the humble 
petitioner may not procure. " If ye, then, being evil, know 
how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more 
shall your Father, which is in heaven, give good things to 
them that ask him ? " Whatever God sees will be beneficial to 
us, he is ready to confer, when it is appropriately implored. 



PRAYER. 459 

The immediate reflex influence of prayer, should be regarded 
as of unlimited value. A heavenly frame of mind is cultivated 
by the exercise, and this fact ought to be a strong inducement 
to practise it. Wickedness is held in check by the interces- 
sions of the Christian, and by the same means, the glory of 
God is advanced in the world, directly and extensively. " The 
prayers of men have saved cities and kingdoms from ruin. 
Prayer hath raised dead men to life ; hath stopped the violence 
of fire ; shut the mouths of wild beasts ; hath altered the 
course of nature ; caused rain in Egypt, and drought in the 
sea ; it made the sun to go from west to east, and the moon to 
stand still, and rocks and mountains to walk." * Vain is 
any attempt to unfold the full benefits of prayer ; its power 
for good shall be seen and felt by millions in eternity. The 
saved will attribute their elevation to the skies, so far as in- 
struments in time were concerned, very much to this holy 
service. 

" Kestraining prayer, we cease to fight ; 

Prayer makes the Christian's armor bright, 
And Satan trembles, when he sees 
The weakest saint upon his knees." 

An Objection. 

From the fact of the divine immutability, is raised by some 
an argument to prove the inutility of prayer. It is said that 
whatever the Supreme Being intends to give us, he will be- 
stow without our asking, nor can any supplications of ours 
draw from him aught which he intends to withhold ; his pur- 
poses being unchangeable. However plausible this reasoning 
may appear, it cannot endure inspection. Indeed the basis on 
which it rests, furnishes an un movable foundation for confi- 
dence in the efficacy of prayer. Were God mutable, what 



* Jeremy Taylor. 



460 zion's pathway. 

promise of his could be trusted ? He is immutably the hearer 
and the answerer of prayer. It was his eternal purpose to 
receive the petitions of those whom he determined to locate on 
this globe, but who then existed only in his infinite plans. En- 
couragement to pray, arises from the fact, that Jehovah is now, 
and will forever, remain the hearer and answerer of prayer. 
" He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him ; he also will 
bear their cry, and will save them." The mind harboring the 
objection here considered, is not in a state to procure desired 
good by prayer ; for in order to meet with success, there must 
be not only a belief that God exists, but also, he is to be 
regarded as the " rewarder of them that diligently seek him." 



CHRISTIAN SUBMISSION. 
Its nature explained. 

1. It does not imply a state of mental indifference. Where 
there is no choice, there can be no submission ; for a mind in 
that condition, has nothing which it can submit. Those things 
respecting which we have no preferences, we let take their 
own course, without either joy or grief. Generally, however, 
we have a wish concerning what is taking place. The Chris- 
tian is placed in a school of discipline, and on account of his 
waywardness, is often experiencing the chastening of the 
Almighty. Chastisement is not congenial to our natures ; the 
rod of the Lord cannot, in itself, be agreeable to our feelings. 
Man has a choice in regard to pleasure and pain ; the former, 
he loves ; the latter, he cannot ; and so long as he is a 
rational creature, it must be a matter of concern which of the 
two is allotted to him. 

2. A strong desire to escape all suffering, is not necessarily 
wrong. Sin is the parent of suffering ; this parent we ought 
to abhor ; nor are we required to love the offspring for its 



CHRISTIAN SUBMISSION. 461 

own sake, or that of its descent. Human beings were formed 
for happiness ; a desire for it is implanted within them, and 
the great requirements of God, if followed, will be attended by- 
true and abiding happiness. On account of our perversity, we 
must be pained ; still we are not called upon to love even those 
inflictions which we know to be designed for our good. The 
Spirit of kindness and wisdom which sends them and the fruits 
which they bear, we should greatly prize ; but doing this is 
something different from loving the chastisement for its own 
sake. The Lord who afflicts, has no delight in the mere 
sufferings of his people. " But though he cause grief, yet will 
he have compassion, according to the multitude of his mercies. 
For he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of 
men." 

3. Deep solicitude about our own and others' well-being is 
not necessarily incompatible with genuine submission to the 
will of God. True, we must desire and seek temporal good, 
and life eternal, only in the way appointed by him, from whom 
all good proceeds. It is enjoined upon us to make our calling 
and election sure. We are commanded to do with our might 
whatsoever our hand findeth to do. We are pointed to the 
grave as the termination of all efforts for ourselves and for 
others. He that submits to God is always zealously affected 
in those things which are well pleasing to the all-wise Ruler. 
Listlessness is not an element in submission ; there is a crown 
which should attract the eye ; there is a prize for every one 
to win, or be condemned for not doing it. Tears ought to be- 
dew our faces, because our fellow-beings fear not God ; and 
the perils of our own souls should render us tremblingly alive 
to our prospects for the world to come. How often is the 
parent compelled to look upon a suffering, dying child. To 
desire its recovery, to use diligently and anxiously all suita- 
ble means for its restoration, is not wrong. He may cry ear- 
nestly to God for divine interposition in its behalf The most 
39* 



462 zion's pathway. 

importunate prayers for the restoration of the sick to health, 
are not displeasing to the Lord, while the question of recovery 
remains unsettled. Christ prayed, " Father, if thou be willing, 
remove this cup from me ; " and to follow his example when the 
cup of sorrow is placed in our hands, cannot be wrong. But, 

4. Christian submission does require us to say from the 
heart, in respect to all things and circumstances, the will of the 
Lord be done. Though we cannot love pain, and though we 
may desire and endeavor to avoid it, yet we must willingly 
endure it, if such be the pleasure of God. The comforts and 
conveniences of life, we may labor to obtain, but should the 
Most High defeat our toils, it will be our duty to acquiesce 
without a murmur. Husbandmen ought to prepare their 
ground, cast in the seed, and pray for a plentiful harvest ; but 
it is their duty to submit without complaint, if the season be 
cold, and the harvest scanty. Merchantmen, in committing 
their vessels to the dangers and uncertainties of the sea, are 
not divinely prohibited from desiring prosperity ; they may sup- 
plicate Him who rules the winds and the waves, for success 
to their investments ; still they are required to feel and say, 
Not our wills, but the Lord's be done. Enterprises of benevo- 
lence are important, yea, essential to the advance of Christ's 
kingdom ; the friends of truth should plan and pursue measures 
for Zion's enlargement. Infinite Wisdom, however, may see 
reasons for disappointing the most ardent aims of the pious. 

" God moves in a mysterious way, 
His wonders to perform ; 
He plants his footsteps in the sea, 
And rides upon the storm." 

The young man, who, burning with desire to preach the 
gospel, begins a preparation for the ministry, may hope to 
enter, at length, the public service of his Saviour ; among his 
daily petitions he should ask that he may be the means of 



CHRISTIAN SUBMISSION. 463 

extensive good in the vineyard of his Master. Still he, too, 
must say, " Not as I will, but as thou wilt." Suppose you are 
a parent, and the child that you love as your own life, is near 
unto death ; all efforts for its relief fail ; what now may you, 
and what may you not do ? The reply is, use every suitable 
means, and commit the case in earnest prayer to the Lord. 
Imitate the importunity of the Syrophenician mother and the 
perseverance of David, on an occasion similar to your own ; 
and while doing thus, let your will sweetly and perfect- 
ly bow to the sovereign Lord of all. In each relation of 
life, in every variety of condition, the pleasure of God must 
be made our pleasure. "Thy kingdom come, thy will be 
done." 

The Duty of thus submitting. 

1. The will of God is right. Crossing as his requirements 
may be to our feelings, he is just in his demands ; and his will 
is the great law of the universe ; whatever accords with it, is 
proper ; all at variance, is improper. We ought to do right, 
though it require much self-denial. If one wrong be allowed, 
why not another, and where shall the course lead. Were this 
man permitted to go counter to justice, so might that and 
every one. Moral beings need some standard ; some ultimate 
appeal in all cases of difficulty and doubt. They have it in 
the will of the Most High. Whenever a question is to be 
solved relative to moral obligation, and in respect to doing or not 
doing, the inquiry should ever be, What is the divine will ? 
That being ascertained, it should be felt that an end has come 
to searching for duty. Submission to immutable right, cannot 
be wrong. To dispute the supremacy of Jehovah's will, 
argues a very undesirable frame of mind ; yea, a contractedness 
and obstinacy, which are at a great remove from that state of 
soul, which short-sighted, dependent creatures should possess. 

2. The will of God is best. In all cases, where the divine 



464 zion's pathway. 

pleasure conflicts with human plans, the former is not only 
right, but it is best. The purposes of mankind, when set on 
foot with the purest motives, are imperfect, and perhaps of 
evil tendency. Our wisest designs are characterized by much 
weakness, if not absolute folly. The will of Jehovah always 
has reference to the general interests of the universe ; the 
highest good of his government, as a whole, is ever kept in 
view by him. Surely an infinite excellence must be more im- 
portant than any particular interest. Hence, should the 
divine will ever be at variance with what seems essential to 
one's personal comfort, it is necessary that the individual good 
should yield to the general. But with the great fact before 
us, that Jehovah has always a regard to the welfare of his 
entire kingdom, we have no hesitancy in saying that compli- 
ance with his will does always promote the happiness of those 
who comply with it. I am speaking of real Christian sub- 
mission. There is what may be termed a forced submission. 
Persons, at times, yield because they must. This is a sub- 
mission of no worth. God does not accept it, for the heart is 
not in it. 

Such as submit in this way, do it because they cannot help 
it. Were resistance possible, any thing having the appearance 
of submission would be the most distant from them. A yield- 
ing of this kind was that of Pharaoh and his host, when they 
gave up to the conquering power of the Lord, exhibited in 
the waves of the sea. This is the submission of multitudes 
who die. They cling to life, and would not leave the world 
were it possible for them to remain longer ; for they only bow 
to death, as doth the expiring soldier beneath the fatal stroke 
of a conqueror. 

3. Submission to the will of God, is necessary for securing 
his favor. He cannot approve of those who regard not his 
pleasure. Self-willed rebels he must resist and defeat. 
Whether they be angels or men that array themselves against 



CHRISTIAN SUBMISSION. 465 

his government, his very nature is hostile to them. While all 
who bow cheerfully to him, dwell under the very brightness 
of his benignity, the obstinate are threatened momentarily by 
the overhanging clouds of his accumulated indignation. But 
with joy we record the fact, that no past insubordination to the 
Lord's will, can prejudice him against the bestowment of 
favors upon any person who now meekly submits to him. At 
all times, the act of voluntary surrender introduces the subject 
into the very centre of blessings. The great question in con- 
troversy between Jehovah and his rational creatures on earth, 
is simply this, Whose will shall prevail ? As to the ultimate 
result, there can be no doubt, for Omnipotence will surely be 
triumphant. But probationers are now favored with terms of 
reconciliation, by which their guilt may be forgiven, and them- 
selves brought into the dearest relationship to the Almighty. 

Special occasions for the exercise of Christian submission 
frequently occur in the common concerns of life. Our inten- 
tions are crossed by the providences of God. The plans upon 
which we have doted are destroyed. Health is prostrated 
when its enjoyment seems the most desirable, and friends are 
torn from us at the time their absence appears the least 
endurable. Naught of an earthly nature can be regarded as 
of long or certain continuance. Even the cause which God 
himself loves, and for which he requires his children to live 
and labor, is at times enveloped in darkness impenetrable. 
So much veiled in mystery are the methods of divine com- 
passion, that faith sometimes staggers; yet whoever is con- 
scious of obstinately withholding a sincere assent to the 
righteousness of Jehovah, should not regard himself as a 
Christian. " We then are disposed, as Christ was, when our 
wills are in every thing melted into the will of God, though 
ever so displeasing to flesh and blood." Bring thyself, reader, 
to the test furnished by Jesus. 



466 zion's pathway. 



Both the singular and the plural of the word heaven, often 
recur in the Bible. Sometimes they indicate the region of air 
above us, as when the birds are termed fowls of heaven. In 
other passages the visible expanse is intended, as where heaven 
is said to be stretched out as a curtain. We read of the heaven 
of heavens, that is, the highest of all heavens, which is the 
dwelling-place, in a special sense, of God ; the capital of 
his kingdom. In this article, I employ the word heaven, to 
designate the resting place of the redeemed. 

1. Heaven is a place. Its locality in the universe none 
knoweth, except the Builder of it. The Scriptures invariably 
represent it as a place, and not as a mere condition. " He 
hath prepared for them a city." Reason surely teaches the 
same doctrine. Christ's human body must be somewhere. 
Enoch and Elijah passed with their clayey tabernacles from 
time into eternity ; they went from earth to heaven ; were 
translated. The bodies of the saints who die, are to be raised ; 
and such of the pious as may be upon earth, when the Saviour 
comes, will be so changed, that their bodies, and those which 
are raised from the dead, shall correspond in nature and attri- 
butes. Based on the fact that God is a Spirit, and that angels 
are spiritual beings, also on the assertion of the apostle, that 
raised bodies are spiritual, an objection has been urged against 
the idea of a local heaven. Of the divine essence we can 
know nothing, except what inspiration tells us. The supposi- 
tion that angels are possessed of material bodies is not unscrip- 
tural ; and it accords with our ideas of their natures. In 
regard to the spiritual bodies which the saints are to have, 
subsequently to the resurrection, it is evident that they will be 
precisely what the Scriptures assert — spiritual ; yet will they 
also be material. A body that is not material, seems an impos- 



HEAVEN. 467 

sibility. If mankind are raised at all from the grave, they must 
come forth with material bodies. There is nothing else to be 
revivified. " It is sown a natural body ; it is raised a spiritual 
body." And what is this spiritual body ? Simply a body de- 
voted to an existence of spiritual enjoyments and pursuits. A 
natural body is one which possesses animal life, and is nour- 
ished by the products of time ; it is also sinful, and a hindrance 
to the soul in her heavenly aspirations. After the resurrection 
the body will be independent of what now constitutes its life, 
and wholly subject to the soul. It will be in every respect adapt- 
ed to the holy society and services of heaven. Though mate- 
rial, we may suppose that it will be matter of so refined a tex- 
ture, that it would be invisible to our present organs of sight. 

2. Heaven is a place of resplendent glory. To such a con- 
clusion we should come, were we to reason from analogy. All 
God's works, over which sin has not poured its pollution, are 
highly alluring. If the less are beautiful, much more so are 
the greater. If the starry heavens declare his glory, shall not 
the heaven of heavens infinitely transcend these ? Shells and 
flowers are so formed and finished as irresistibly to win us by 
their attractiveness. Insects, whose existence is limited by a 
day, are richly attired ; their little wings are painted with a skill 
never yet acquired beneath the skies. The earth is not what 
it was, yet it is exceedingly beautiful ; and were we permitted 
to survey each of the worlds in the kingdom of our God, 
should we not find, every where, equal, if not surpassing 
beauty? Has, then, the Maker of the universe adorned all 
his works, except his own seat of government ? Reason 
answers, no; and revelation exhausts its images in attempting 
to give us an impression of the glory of heaven. Nor is the 
aim wholly to exhibit what constitutes its highest excellence — 
holiness ; but it seeks to make us feel that the structure of the 
celestial city is of the most rich and brilliant material. " The 
building of the wall of it was of jasper ; and the city was pure 



468 zion's pathway. 

gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall 
of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones." 
" And the twelve gates were twelve pearls." " And the street 
of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass." 

3. Heaven is a place of perfect holiness. Evil cannot exist 
there. The angels in it are sinless, and so are the spirits of 
just men, who have been received into the presence of God. 
" There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, 
neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lie." 
Jehovah has prepared another place to be the eternal recepta- 
cle of all iniquity ; hell, not heaven, is the everlasting habita- 
tion of the fallen spirits and of unrepenting men. An unholy 
thought, should it find itself indulged in the mind of one of 
those about the throne, would, doubtless, occasion its author 
endless banishment from the presence of the Lord. 

4. Heaven is a place of perfect joy. It is impossible for 
sorrow to exist where there is no unholiness. As the world 
of which we are speaking, is replete with holiness, so it must 
be with happiness. " In thy presence is fulness of joy ; at 
thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore." Jehovah will 
preserve, by his unchangeable omnipotence, the blessedness 
of his servants. Whatever can conduce to the bliss of an 
angel or of a saint, he will not withhholcl. The Scriptures 
present heaven to us as a vast brotherhood ; a perfect society. 
There meet the holy from all parts of the universe. " Heaven 
is an ocean, in which preceding dispensations have an end." 
Of that blissful assembly it may be prospectively said, " They 
shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house, and 
thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures." 
"Everlasting joy shall be upon their head." "And there 
shall be no night there," — " for the Lord God giveth them 
light ; and they shall reign forever and ever." 

5. Heaven is that place in which the Godhead displays its 
glory in the highest degree and without cessation. Only 



HEAVEN. 469 

glimpses of the divine excellence are obtained, in time, by the 
most favored. Clouds and darkness seem, for the most part, 
to saints on earth, round about the throne. Just how the 
Father manifests himself to the angels and saints in that 
world, is to us inconceivable ; nor do we know how created 
minds there communicate one with another. The fact, that 
Jehovah fills heaven with his glory, is revealed. Christ is 
made to appear very prominent in the representations of the 
celestial state. " And I beheld and heard the voice of many 
angels round about the throne, and the beasts and the elders, 
and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand,, 
and thousands of thousands, saying, with a loud voice, 
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power and riches,, 
and wisdom and strength, and honor and glory, and blessing." 
He stands upon the heavenly Zion, and with him are an " hun- 
dred and forty and four thousand, having his Father's name writ- 
ten in their foreheads." It is in his presence, not less than before 
the throne, that is congregated " a great multitude, which no 
man could number, of all nations and kindreds, and people 
and tongues," " clothed with white robes and palms in their 
hands." Their song exalts the Son equally with the Father. 
H Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto 
the Lamb." Of those, who, through great tribulation, have 
reached the blest abode, it is said, that the Lamb " shall feed 
them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters ; and 
God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." The holy seer 
at Patmos saw no temple in heaven, " for the Lord God Al- 
mighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had 
no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it, for the 
glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 
And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the 
light of it." 

Into this adorned, holy, and happy place, believers in Jesus 
are admitted immediately on their leaving time. Some per- 
40 



470 zion's pathway. 

sons suppose that there is what may be called an intermediate 
place, in which both the righteous and the wicked are sent at 
death, the former being in peace and the latter in suffering. 
The two classes are not together, and yet not very far re- 
moved one from the other. Both reside in Hades ; but one 
dwells in the part termed Gehenna or Tartarus, and the other 
in Paradise. Such a doctrine owes its origin, I think, to a 
heathen fancy, rather th in to the oracles of God. Purgatory, 
as held by Catholics, evidently was derived from paganism, 
just as most of the other absurd notions of that strange sect 
were. Nor is it difficult to account for the doctrine of the 
intermediate place, without finding a shadow of it in the 
Scriptures. 

Christ encouraged his followers to expect at once to dwell 
with himself, when they should be called from earth. And 
where is he ? Would an unbiased student of the Bible ever 
imagine him any where except in the holy of holies ? Jesus 
said that in his Father's house are many mansions, and that 
he was going to prepare a place for his disciples, and that he 
would come again to receive them unto himself; " that where 
I am, there ye may be also." Shall we conclude, that not one 
of all those whom he thus addressed, has yet arrived at the 
apartment which was to be made ready by the Saviour ? Must 
we suppose that thousands of years may possibly yet intervene 
before the apostles shall reach heaven ? " Father, I will that 
they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, 
that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me." 
To the penitent thief, Jesus said, " To-day shalt thou be with 
me in Paradise." Now, according to the Scriptures, the place 
thus named is heaven. Paul tells us that himself was caught 
up to the third heaven, and immediately in repeating the fact, 
substitutes the word Paradise for heaven. In Rev. 2 : 7, 
Christ says to the church at Ephesus, " To him that over- 
cometh, will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the 



HEAVEN. 471 

Paradise of God," and in the twenty-second chapter of the 
same book, we are told that this tree stands near the throne of 
the Most High. 

The apostle Paul evidently expected to enter his eternal 
home, whenever he should be called from time. " For we 
know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dis- 
solved, we have a building of God, an house not made with 
hands, eternal in the heavens." He further speaks of an ab- 
sence from the body as a being present with the Lord, and he 
longs for the transition from time to eternity. "What he has 
taught is the teaching of inspiration ; his aspirations arose from 
heavenly influences upon him. "Now, he that hath wrought 
us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us 
the earnest of his Spirit." When Stephen was suffering mar- 
tyrdom, he saw " the heavens opened, and the Son of man 
standing on the right hand of God." In that state of agony 
and of joy, he prayed, " Lord Jesus,^ receive my spirit," ad- 
mit it to heaven, not to a place inferior. He desired no inter- 
mediate abode, and we must think he had no thought of being 
located till the judgment day, somewhere between the imper- 
fection of his probationary state and the full enjoyment of 
the upper world. Similar to his have been the feelings of ex- 
piring saints in every age. " I am in a strait betwixt two, hav- 
ing a desire to depart, and to be with Christ." In what soul, 
ripened for a holy immortality, is there not the firm persua- 
sion of ascending directly to heaven, when released from the 
house of clay? Will the Lord disappoint the expectations 
which himself has raised ? Does the Infinite Father debar for 
ages his own children from the home prepared for them ? In 
those visions, granted to the banished disciple, the martyrs were 
represented as about the throne ; and it was said that God 
dwells with them. They had not been invited thither for a 
brief visit, but to abide without ceasing in the presence of Je- 
hovah. The church is represented in the Scriptures as being 



472 zion's pathway. 

divided. It has two grand divisions, one of which is on earth, 
and the other with God. As individuals depart from the for- 
mer, they go to increase the ranks of the latter ; leaving Zion 
militant, they are citizens in full of Zion triumphant. 

Ye heirs of glory, your path leadeth directly to the celestial 
Canaan. 

" Death, like a narrow sea, divides 
That heavenly land from ours." 

The wilderness journey, performed by ancient Israel, was 
highly typical of the spiritual pilgrimage assigned to the elect. 
When Jordan was passed, the promised land was entered. 
Christ encouraged his disciples to endure the persecutions to 
which they were subject, with great joy in the prospect of a 
reward in heaven. Does he not now invite his afflicted 
servants to persevere faithfully even unto death, that they may 
receive a crown of life ? ' Should not the thought of an entrance 
soon to be administered into the joys of the New Jerusalem, 
comfort the struggling believer ? Heaven, thou art as desir- 
able as God can make thee. 

" There my Redeemer lives, all bright and glorious, 
O'er sin, and death, and hell he reigns victorious." 

Short is life's journey ; and quickly it must terminate. No 
man now living will be in time a little while hence. Let this 
fact quicken the Christian to increased fidelity. Away be 
every hindrance in duty. Welcome sickness, pain, anguish, 
and death itself; ye are the servants which help me home. I 
would not live always beneath the skies. 

" Father, I long, I faint to see 
The place of thine abode ; 
I'd leave these earthly courts, and flee 
Up to thy seat, my God." 






HELL. 473 

Are there no allurements above to arrest the notice of the 
sinner ? Is he not now like the troubled sea ? Does he not 
need the prospect which animates the humble ? Can he covet 
nothing but hell hereafter ? Why, accountable creature, wilt 
thou rush on, when the end of thy career is so plainly re- 
vealed ? Is there not enough of sin and sorrow in this world ? 
Turn thy thoughts heavenward, and secure a home eternal 
and on high. 

HELL. 

Candid and prayerful students of the Bible no more doubt 
the existence of eternal future punishment than they do an 
endless state of happiness. There is, however, a class of per- 
sons, who, though desiring to be reckoned adepts in the Scrip- 
tures, boldly deny that any will suffer in a future state for sins 
committed in time. I have no space for an extended discus- 
sion of this solemn subject, but will briefly notice one declara- 
tion of inspiration. " These shall go away into everlasting 
punishment." Matt. 25 : 46. It will be necessary first to 
examine the connection in which these words occur. 

In the 31st verse of the chapter from which they are taken, 
we are pointed to a coming of Christ. " When the Son of 
man shall come," etc. 

Several comings of Christ are mentioned in Scripture. He 
comes as the Messiah ; comes to summon his disciples from 
earth to heaven ; comes to destroy Jerusalem ; also to raise 
the dead, and judge the world. Which of these is intended in 
the verse just quoted ? Not the first, certainly, nor that when 
he calls the believer home. The former was past at the 
time the Saviour himself spoke the language under review ; 
the latter is not a literal coming ; besides, if it were, no reti- 
nue attends him at such times. The reference here, then, must 
be either to the coming of Jesus at the destruction of Jerusa- 
40* 



474 zion's pathway. 

lem, or at the end of the world. Is it the former ? Let us 
compare this description from the lips of the Saviour himself, 
with what took place when the Romans laid Jerusalem in 
ruins. " When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all 
the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of 
his glory, and before him shall be gathered all nations ; and 
he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divid- 
eth his sheep from the goats ; and he shall set the sheep on his 
right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King 
say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my 
Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the founda- 
tion of the world." " Then shall he say also unto them on the 
left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, 
prepared for the devil and his angels." " And these shall go 
away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life 
eternal." Were such predictions fulfilled at the destruction of 
Jerusalem ? Did the Son of man then come, attended with 
all the holy angels ? Were all nations gathered together 
in the sacred city, when the army of Vespasian laid it in ruins ? 
Was there such a separation between the righteous and the 
wicked, as the Saviour describes ? Is there any thing in the 
sieging and sacking of Jerusalem, answering to the picture 
presented by the truth-speaking Jesus ? Verily nothing ! You 
may as wisely search for the fulfilment of this Scripture in the 
destruction of any modern city, as in that of Jerusalem ! Yea, 
you might as well look at the phases of the moon, expecting to 
behold in them a fulfilment of the sublime declarations of 
Isaiah and Ezekiel, as to the ploughed hills, where stood the 
holy city, for the accomplishment of what Christ predicted in 
the passage here considered ! As these verses can possibly 
relate to but one other event, it is to that we should regard 
them as referring. The coming of the Son of man here men- 
tioned is to raise the dead ; to call all nations before him ; 
to separate the righteous from the wicked ; to welcome the 



HELL. 475 

former into heaven, and to banish the latter to hell. On that 
awful, but august occasion, Jesus will appear in great glory ; 
then the holy angels will be with him ; then all nations shall be 
gathered before him, and a separation will take place. 

We will next examine the word rendered everlasting. 
Much is urged against the idea that the punishment of the 
wicked will be endless, from the fact that this term does not 
always in the Old Testament designate what is absolutely 
without termination. For instance, the Lord promised the 
land of Canaan to Abraham and his seed for an everlasting 
possession. The priesthood of Aaron is designated everlast- 
ing, and everlasting hills are mentioned in Gen. 49 : 26. So 
also are doors in Ps. 24. "Be ye lift up, ye everlasting 
doors." In relation to such a use of this adjective, I observe 
(1.) That it favors rather than otherwise the doctrine of 
future endless punishment, provided the word in those pas- 
sages teaches any thing concerning the future punishment of 
the wicked. The everlasting possession was one which would 
not be taken away, if the conditions of its bestowment and 
continuance should be duly respected. Abraham did receive 
the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession. His pos- 
terity would have enjoyed it till now, and been in a fair way 
to possess it till the end of time, had they not forfeited it. 
We know it was bestowed for an everlasting inheritance, but 
the people banished themselves from it. Perhaps, some one 
says, the title to it must naturally expire, had it not been lost 
by sin. Where is the proof? Can he show that the deed, by 
which Jehovah gave Palestine to Abraham and his seed, would 
ever have been taken away, had they used well the posses- 
sion ? Why might it not have continued to be theirs, even 
till the old heavens and earth should give place to others ? 
We inquire, to whom else has God ever deeded the land of 
Israel, but to that people ? But, (2.) The word everlasting, 
in the passages quoted, denotes the continuance of the objects 



476 zion's pathway. 

to which it is appropriated, so long as, from the nature of the 
case, they can exist. Now take this definition and apply it to 
future punishment, and we have the doctrine of future endless 
misery established ; provided, as I have said, this term decides 
any thing in respect to it ; at least, that it is limited, cannot 
be shown, unless, from the nature of the case, it can be proved 
that man is not capable of enduring unending misery. (3.) 
The word everlasting, in the passages cited, determines noth- 
ing whatever respecting the doctrine of future punishment. 
No doubtful question in biblical interpretation can be settled, 
without a resort to the original languages of the Scriptures. 
The Old Testament was written in Hebrew, and the New in 
Greek. Of course, the word translated everlasting, in the 
New Testament, is Greek, and not found of the same form in 
the Old Testament, for that is Hebrew. These two languages 
are no more the same than are the English and the Indian. 
To determine the import of the word, which, in the passage 
cited at the commencement of this article, is rendered ever- 
lasting, its use in the original of the New Testament must be 
canvassed. Here, it should be remarked, that many words 
have more than one signification, and that not a few are em- 
ployed latterly, quite differently from what they once were. 
The word deog, in Greek, denotes the true God, also a 
heathen divinity. Before the coming of Christ, it was more 
generally applied to the latter ; but the New Testament 
writers designate Jehovah by it. "We will now examine the 
word before us. It is auoviog, and occurs in the New 
Testament sixty-six times ; fifty-one times it is used in rela- 
tion to the righteous.* As in John 3 : 36, " He that belie veth 
on the Son hath everlasting life." twijv cuwviov, 4 : 14. "The 
water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water 



* See Professor Stuart's Essays on Future Punishment. 



HELL. 



477 



springing up into everlasting life." t 0) V v outoviov, 10 : 28. 
"And I give unto them everlasting life." 'C,w]v cuojviov. The 
same words occur in the two following passages : Acts 13 : 46. 
"And judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life." Rom. 
6 : 23. " The gift of God is eternal life." 2 Cor. 4 : 17. "A 
far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." aiunov fiagog 
do^rjg. 1 Tim. 6: 12. " Lay hold on eternal life." aimviov 
t,co7]g. 1 John 3: 15. "No murderer hath eternal life." 
tptrjv aiojvtov. Jude, 21st verse. "Looking for the mercy of 
our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." X, (x)r l v ctioiviov. 

This word occurs twice in connection with Osog, God, or the 
glory of God. Rom. 16 : 26. " The everlasting God." uiwviov 
&eov. 1 Tim. 6:16. "To whom be honor and power ever- 
lasting." xgawg aiojpiov. There are a few cases in which it 
is employed in relation to past time. Not an instance, how- 
ever, occurs where it necessarily denotes limited duration. 
Seven times it is used in connection with future punishment. 
To what conclusion are we brought ? By what rules of inter- 
pretation may we limit its meaning relative to the penalty of 
sin, when we know it has no restriction, as connected with the 
existence of God, and the felicity of the righteous in the hea- 
venly state ? The logical, yea, the only rational, conclusion at 
which we can arrive is, that the Bible furnishes just as clear, 
decisive and irresistible evidence of endless misery as of end- 
less happiness. We may as reasonably adopt the creed, no 
heaven, as no hell, after death ; or, if we admit the existence 
of both, the former may as correctly be supposed limited as 
the latter. There is as much reason to believe that the hap- 
piness of the righteous will terminate, as the sufferings of the 
wicked. Yea, there is as good ground to conclude, that Jeho- 
vah will suffer his throne to crumble to dust, and that he will 
discontinue his own existence, as that the fires of hell will cease 
to burn. If we receive the Scriptures, we must believe that 
Christ will, at the judgment day, say to all the wicked, " De- 



478 zion's pathway. 

part from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the 
devil and his angels." 

How terribly significant is each expression, in this last sen- 
tence, passed by the Judge of all upon the finally impenitent. 
We can conceive of no terms more awfully suggestive. De- 
parting from Christ ! It shall be the supreme joy of the 
believer to dwell with his Divine Master through endless ages. 
Jesus is the centre of infinite good, yet the sinner must depart 
from him with a curse ; must go, not into some place less glo- 
rious than heaven, though not wholly destitute of peace ; he 
must depart into fire, himself being fuel for unquenchable 
flames. O, to depart from Christ, would be sad indeed, could 
a benediction from his lips be carried into exile ; but the trans- 
gressor shall go from the tribunal of his Judge anathematized ; 
shall go to dwell with devils ; shall go to endure the agonies 
of a lake that burneth ; shall go to writhe in helpless anguish, 
in hopeless despair ! 

Such, thou despiser of Jesus, is thy approaching doom ! 
Most rapidly time bears thee forward ; and yet it may be that 
a wicked zeal is hastening thee on more swiftly still. Pause, 
read, and ponder this awful sentence ! It is the Judge himself 
who speaks to give the timely warning. If impenitent, thou 
art as surely hastening directly to Christ's tribunal, and to the 
hearing of the announcement, " Depart from me," as ever an 
arrow sped from the bow was hurried to the mark. To that 
awful scene described by Jesus in the last part of Matt. 25, as 
to occur at the end of the world, thou must come ; a participa- 
tor there thou wilt be ; and O, thy prospect, how dark ! thy 
destiny, how dreadful ! Thanks to the Son of God for telling 
us what shall be, when he cometh in the clouds of heaven with 
all his holy angels. Now he sitteth not as Arbiter of the 
world, but as the Messiah who died to redeem. To-day he is 
not arrayed in the awful insignia of that occasion, when the 
nations shall be gathered, and eternal destinies settled. He is 



THE GENERAL RESURRECTION. 479 

not now saying unto you, " Depart from me, ye cursed ; " the 
call at present is, " Come unto me, and I will give you rest." 
O ye wasters of life's precious hours, ye long abusers of grace, 
ye offenders of God, stop at once in your downward course. 
Hear, O hear that call from the skies, which entreats you to 
escape the everlasting fire, and inherit eternal blessedness. 

THE GENERAL RESURRECTION. 

It is a doctrine held by Christians, " that there shall be a 
resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust." This 
article of faith rests wholly on the Scriptures. " Though 
the stoics believed that certain revolving periods would 
produce successive renovations in the system of the universe, 
it does not appear, that any tenet similar to the Christian 
doctrine of a resurrection was believed, or even known, among 
the pagan philosophers." " Some glimmerings they had of 
the soul's immortality, but no knowledge of the reviving of the 
body." 

The sacred volume contains many direct assertions in regard 
to this doctrine, and likewise various passages, which imply it. 
Some of both classes will be advanced. " I kill, and I make 
alive." Deut. 32 : 39. Jewish writers have referred this to 
the resurrection. " For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and 
that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth ; and 
though after my skin, worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh 
shall I see God ; whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes 
shall behold, and not another." Job 19 : 25-27. A class of 
interpreters are quite unwilling to grant this passage the 
weight, which others, far more judicious, think it possesses. 
Some will not even allow it to have any reference to the resur- 
rection. They assume, that the doctrine was not then believed, 
and infer, that such a meaning must not be attached to these 
verses. But by what authority is this assumption made ? Was 



480 zion's pathway. 

not Enoch translated, to show the saints their future destiny ? 
He did not die, but they having died, shall live again, and 
ascend as well as he. Christ was revealed to the patriarchs, 
and was not he to them the resurrection and the life ? An 
apostle assures us, that Abraham supposed God would raise 
Isaac from the dead ; yea, from ashes ; " from whence also he 
received him in a figure." Heb. 11 : 19. On what authority 
shall we conclude, that the holy men of the first ages knew 
nothing of this resurrection ? The Saviour was with them ; 
he was their teacher. The assertions of Job in the verses 
above quoted, will still be regarded by the mass of humble 
believers, as relating to the resurrection of the body. The arts 
of expositors cannot do away with the deep impression, which 
is made by them on the mind of the unsophisticated reader. 
" As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness ; I shall 
be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness." Ps. 17 : 15. 
-" Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall 
they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust ; for thy 
dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the 
dead." Isa. 26:19. These words of the prophet, taken literally, 
teach, with great distinctness, the doctrine of the resurrection. 
If they be figurative, what else than the belief that the dead 
will be raised, was the foundation of the figure ? "And many 
of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some 
to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting con- 
tempt." Dan. 12:2. By many, is evidently intended the many 
i. e., the vast multitudes who shall have lived and died. " I 
will ransom them from the power of the grave ; I will redeem 
them from death; O death, I will be thy plagues ; grave, 
I will be thy destruction." Hosea 13 : 14. The pious Jews, 
who suffered under Antiochus, referred with exultation to the 
resurrection : " It is good, being put to death by men, to look 
for hope from God, to be raised up again by him." " For 
thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." 



THE GENERAL RESURRECTION. 481 

Luke 14 : 14. " Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall 
rise again, in the resurrection at the last day." John 11 : 24. 
" The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves 
shall hear his voice and shall come forth ; they that have done 
good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil 
unto the resurrection of damnation." 5 : 28, 29. 

Some of the apostles insist, in their epistles, very much on 
the fact, that the dead will be raised. " The whole church, on 
seeing the Saviour entombed, wept as if salvation were buried 
with him." But when he arose, his disciples went forth, pro- 
claiming to all this truth. " They taught the people, and 
preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead." Being 
contradicted, they demanded of their opposers, " why should 
it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise 
the dead?" Paul has spoken at length on this subject in the 
15th chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians. His argu- 
ment triumphantly establishes the doctrine. That Christ was 
raised is proved, and from the truth of his resurrection is de- 
rived unequivocal evidence, that his followers will rise. The 
death of Christ was an unquestionable fact ; and that he arose, 
more than five hundred witnesses, most of whom, if not all, 
were then living, could testify. " No single fact in the history 
of any nation is supported by evidence equal to that, which 
the apostle Paul hath produced in the 15th chapter of the first 
epistle to the Corinthians, in proof our Lord's resurrection 
from the dead." * " The arguments," says Saurin, " that per- 
suade us of the truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, are so 
clear and conclusive, that if any difficulty remains, it arises 
from the brightness of the evidence itself." 

Let us notice more particularly the course of the apostle's 
reasoning, which runs thus, " If there be no resurrection of 
the dead, then is Christ not risen. And if Christ be not risen, 



* Mackni^ht, 

41 



482 zion's pathway. 

then is our preaching vain, and jour faith is also vain. Yea ; 
and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have 
testified of God that he raised up Christ ; whom he raised not 
up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, 
then is not Christ raised ; and if Christ be not raised, your 
faith is vain, ye are yet in your sins." According to this arguing, 
" the truth of the gospel rests entirely on the truth of Christ's 
resurrection." Had he failed to rise, his failure would have 
proved him an impostor; but he did not fail. "Now is Christ 
risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that 
slept." "The destiny of all believers is united to that of 
Jesus Christ. He is risen from the dead; we, therefore, shall 
one day rise." Death entered the world by sin ; it is con- 
quered by the Saviour. " For as in Adam all die, even so 
in Christ shall all be made alive." Paul's reasoning, however, 
does not necessarily here include any but believers ; though 
the doctrine that all others will be raised is e-qually taught in 
the Scriptures, and by himself in his other writings. His spe- 
cific object in the chapter before us, led him to insist on only 
two points ; the first is, that Christ is risen ; the second, that his 
disciples will be raised. " God hath both raised up the Lord, 
and will also raise up us by his own power." John in vision 
" saw the dead, small and great, stand before God." It is as 
certain that all as that any will be raised. 

The Resurrection viewed in the Light of Reason.* 

We claim that this is purely a doctrine of revelation ; but 
in so doing, it is not our purpose to imply, that nature has 
no hints respecting it. Power which can create, must be 



* Since this article was written, I have read an exceedingly instructive 
sermon of President Hitchcock on the Eesurrection. I refer to one of h's 
four on the Seasons. 



THE GENERAL RESURRECTION. 483 

able to renew ; some power has created, therefore there is a 
power that can renew. " It is doubtless as easy for divine 
power to restore the union between the soul and the body after 
it has been dissolved, as to establish such a union at first." 
When inquiring what may be, we should keep in mind what 
has been. A mighty agency has exerted itself in the formation 
of our physical frames. " Particles of these bodies which we 
now possess once belonged, it may be, to distant islands and 
continents ; they once passed into the canes of India, or were 
suspended from the fig-trees of Turkey. Were the mass, thus 
composed, once dissolved, would either more power or wisdom 
be required for the reunion of its parts, than was employed in 
its original formation or its subsequent support ? " Do we not 
constantly witness the effects of a power so great, that we can 
set no limits to it, and which is therefore appropriately desig- 
nated infinite ? Now what an infinite agent may, if it please, 
do, no finite being can predict. So far as human foresight 
reaches, or the mind of man can judge, it may be no more 
difficult for that agent, (by whatever name called,) which 
causes seeds to germinate, blossom, and produce fruit, to raise 
the dead, than it is to perform what it does for the seed. Ob- 
jections against the doctrine of the resurrection, based on the 
difficulty of raising a dead body to life, are without weight ; for 
no man can show that it is at all difficult, while " the continual 
production of things in the world, is a clear demonstration of 
the power of God to that effect." 

Some writer has observed that the analogies of nature seem 
designed on purpose to excite expectation of the resurrection. 
" With the daily and hourly miracles, so to call them, of the 
vegetable and animal world before our eyes ; with creations, 
renovations, transitions, and transmigrations innumerable going 
on, while yet individuality and identity are preserved, nothing 
ought to be thought incredible or unlikely concerning the des- 
tiny of man, which comports with these common wonders, and 



ZION S PATHWAY. 

which in itself is only an analogous transformation. The pro- 
babilities that man is to undergo several transitions, are as a 
thousand to one of the contrary." The changes through which 
we have already passed are great, perhaps not less so than 
will be our restoration after we have mouldered for ages. 

Beautiful examples of this analogy are seen in the change 
of worms into richly plumaged insects. Sometimes one re- 
mains for weeks in a chrysalis or aurelia state. If its element 
have been the water, it repairs to the margin, " in quest of a 
convenient place of abode during its insensible state. It 
attaches itself to a plant, or piece of dry wood, and the skin, 
which gradually becomes parched and brittle, at last splits 
opposite the thorax." Through this opening escapes the insect, 
gay and joyful. It apparently died, and was laid aside, 
shrouded, and in its own coffin ; but it has risen from the dead? 
bursting from its confinement, and casting off its grave gar- 
ments. " Who that saw for the first time the little pendent 
coffin in which the insect lay entombed, and was ignorant of 
the transformation of which we are now speaking, would ever 
predict, that in a few weeks, perhaps in a few days or hours, 
it would become one of the most elegant and active of winged 
insects ? And who, that contemplates with the mind of a 
philosopher this curious transformation, and knows that two 
years before the insect mounts into the air, even while it is 
living in water, it has the rudiments of wings, can deny that the 
body of man may, at some future period, be again invested with 
vigor and activity, and soar to regions, for which some latent 
organization may have peculiarly fitted it?" Such natural 
transformations seem to say to the Christian, thus shalt thou 
be changed. Now thou sayest " to corruption, thou art my 
father ; to the worm, thou art my mother and my sister ; " but 
thou shalt arise from the sleep of death ; that clod constituting 
thy body, must moulder to dust ; yet from it shall come forth 
a form of celestial brightness and purity. Thy flesh shall 



THE GENERAL RESURRECTION. 485 

be reanimated, and clothed in immortal beauty and blessed 
ness. 

Attributes of the Raised Body, 

The Scriptures are not very explicit on this point. They 
teach more the fact of the resurrection than unfold the pro- 
perties of what is restored. A body is raised, and not some- 
thing else, and it is the same that was buried. The Greek 
word, translated resurrection, signifies a coming up. Our 
Saviour says, that those in their graves shall hear his voice 
and come forth. We are not, however, necessitated to con- 
clude that every particle of dust committed to the tomb will 
enter into the renewed body. That which shall come forth 
may be lying in our present frames, as gold in the ore, and 
not be affected at all by the decomposition of flesh and bones. 

Raised bodies of saints will be " covered with a celestial 
splendor." " They that be wise shall shine as the brightness 
of the firmament." " The righteous shall shine forth as the 
sun in the kingdom of their Father." Perhaps the trans- 
figured body of Christ, when his face shone as the sun and 
his raiment was white as light, was an exhibition of what the 
glorified bodies of his people shall be. Are we not taught 
that they shall be like him in this respect, as well as in the 
purity and perfection of their souls ? Christ will change the 
vile body of the believer, " that it may be fashioned like unto 
his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is 
able even to subdue all things unto himself." Phil. 3 : 21. 

The apostle Paul styles the raised body, spiritual. Some, 
as I have stated in the article on heaven, suppose that the body 
will not be material, but if it be not so, then in what sense 
will it be a body at all ? The term spiritual, as applied to 
body, is much like carnal, applied to mind. A spiritual body 
is one that is set apart to spiritual offices. " It is of so fine a 
41* 



486 zion's pathway. 

texture as to be supported merely by the presence of a 
rational spirit." Such bodies, it is by no means improbable 
that angels possess; but the matter which clothes them may 
be too much refined for our eyes to discern it. The soul of 
the saint will not be impeded in the future state by its body. 
With a speed of which we now have no conception, she may 
pass from place to place in the wide universe of her God. 
How great the contrast between the body as it is and what it 
will become after the resurrection. Now it is frail, disordered, 
and dull : a hindrance to the spirit. Then it will be elastic, 
eternally free from sickness, full of vivacity, and ever service- 
able to the soul. At present it is sensual ; hereafter it will 
be holy. It is now confined to the earth ; then it may soar to 
the zenith of creation. How humble, ghastly, deformed, and 
loathsome is the body as committed to the grave ; how excel- 
lent, inviting and resplendent when it shall come, at the call of 
Heaven's summons, from its long slumbers under the power of 
death. " It is sown in corruption ; it is raised in incor- 
ruption. It is sown in dishonor ; it is raised in glory It 
is sown in weakness ; it is raised in power. It is sown 
a natural body ; it is raised a spiritual body." But we 
should bear in mind that these delightful representations of 
the resurrection body are applicable only to the saints. 
" What intense agonies may be endured by the immortal 
incorruptible bodies of the wicked, can be conceived of by 
none before the day of judgment. Each one of the senses 
may be an inlet to misery, and pain may be seated in every 
member." It is not impossible that their future bodies will 
exhibit constantly the marks of the abuses received in time. 
In the grave, the body of the saint shall be purified ; but what 
evidence is there that the sinner's will undergo any favorable 
change ? 



THE GENERAL RESURRECTION. 487 



The Time of the Resurrection, 

It is to occur as the last act but one, in the great drama of 
earth, and it will take place immediately preceding the judg- 
ment. We know not a substantial reason for concluding that any 
of the dead will be raised prior to the general resurrection. Some 
arose at the time of the crucifixion, but we do not gather from 
the word of God, that there is to be more than one literal 
resurrection from this time onward. The sentiment, that there 
will be, seems based on a wrong interpretation of Scripture. 
" Christ, the first fruits, afterward they that are Christ's at his 
coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered 
up the kingdom to God, even the Father ; when he shall have 
put down all rule, and all authority, and power. For he must 
reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last 
enemy that shall be destroyed, is death." 

We are taught, that a signal will be given, by which the 
dead will be summoned from their resting places. " For the 
trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible." 
It is said that Christ shall send forth his angels " with a great 
sound of a trumpet ; " and that " the Lord himself shall de- 
scend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel 
and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise 
first." The Scriptures furthermore inform us, that many will 
be living at the time of the resurrection, who shall not die, but 
be changed. There may be a more dense population on the 
earth at that period, than at any preceding time. From all 
the places of their sepulture, earth's myriads shall awake at 
the word of the life-giving Jesus. Death's leaden eyelids must 
then be opened to sleep no more. 

Pollok, in the " Course of Time," has given a graphic and 
impressive description of the resurrection. The day comes 
wholly unexpected. Its morning seems like others, and every 
where mankind are pursuing their usual occupations. Learned 



488 zion's pathway. 

sceptics have just proved that the earth will continue forever, 
and that sin will go unpunished, when suddenly the sun is 
wrapt in darkness, and his beams return up to the throne of 
God. The globe is veiled in moonless, starless night. All 
mortals are held in horrible suspense, and as they pause, 
chariots are heard, rolling in heaven. Robed in excessive 
light, an angel stands and blows the trump of God, which 
sounds through all the mansions of the departed, 

" Awake, ye dead, 
Be changed, ye living, and put on the garb 
Of immortality. Awake, arise, 
The God of judgment comes ! " 



Particular Objections noticed. 

We meet with w T hat are thought to be formidable objections 
to this doctrine. They are not drawn from the Scriptures, but 
professedly from facts. Particles of the human body, we are 
told, after its death, enter into the composition of vegetables, and 
thence pass into the flesh of other human beings, and form parts 
of those when the grave becomes their receptacle. How then 
it is inquired, can each individual have a complete body at the 
resurrection, when at the period of their deaths, (occurring not 
at the same time,) one has many of the particles which the 
other had before him ? To such suggestions, our reply is, it 
cannot be proved, that in a single instance, two persons, at the 
time of their dissolution, possessed any of the same particles. 
Could it, however, be proved a fact that they did ; yea, could it 
be shown that one half or three fourths of what constitutes one 
human body, at its burial, is in another, when the latter is 
committed dust to dust, the fact would not militate in the least 
against the doctrine of the resurrection. Inspiration does not 
inform us, that the soul will " covet a reunion " with every 
particle of its original tabernacle. A small part of it may be 



THE GENERAL RESURRECTION. 489 

sufficient to form the resurrection body, and yet personal 
identity be preserved. But if the Almighty require the whole 
that was deposited, he will guard it with a care peculiar to him- 
self. It cannot be difficult for him to watch over human dust. 
Solicitude on our part is needless. Cast away vain fears, and 
banish forever all cavilling about the scattered dust of the 
departed. 

Some presumptuous beings inquire, of what use will the 
resurrection be ? They affirm it to be an impossibility for them 
to perceive any advantages in it. And may God not see that 
good will arise from it ? Do ignorant mortals understand all 
else except this particular ? Blush, weak creature, to call in 
question the wisdom of thy Creator ! What he does is wisely 
done, and that he will raise the dead, is revealed in the Scrip- 
tures. Doubtless, when the small and great of our race shall 
be made to stand before him, his power, wisdom, and good- 
ness will be wonderfully illustrated by that event. The Highest 
needs not the solicitude of our ignorance, lest he in some in- 
stance may seem to have acted injudiciously. 

" The divine laws are the rule of duty to the entire man, and 
not to the soul only; and they are obeyed or violated by the 
soul and body in conjunction. The soul designs ; the body 
executes. The senses are the open ports, to admit temptations. 
Carnal affections deprave the soul, corrupt the mind, and mis- 
lead it. The heart is the fountain of profaneness, and the 
tongue expresses it. Thus the members are instruments of 
iniquity." So when the soul begins to be sanctified the body 
becomes a servant to it in performing the divine will. " Hence 
it follows, that there will be a universal resurrection, that the 
rewarding goodness of God may appear in making the bodies 
of his servants gloriously happy with their souls, and their souls 
completely happy in union with their bodies ; and that his re- 
venging justice may be manifest in punishing the bodies of the 
wicked, w^ith eternal torments answerable to their guilt." 



490 zion's pathway. 

Mankind are neither purely matter nor simply mind, but 
constituted of each. For a while the constituent elements 
in their natures must be divided ; but afterwards they shall 
be reunited and abide thus forever. Should it be otherwise, 
persons could hardly be the same in the future state that they 
are in this ; but their identity is to be preserved. The very 
being that served God in time, shall rejoice before him in 
eternity ; and those who here refuse his grace must there 
endure his wrath. 

It is true, indeed, that " the resurrection of the dead must 
be admitted to be a great mystery ;" and what is there re- 
vealed unto us in the works of nature, or by Providence, or by 
the Scriptures, which does not wholly transcend our compre- 
hension ? All is mysterious which the eye sees and the ear 
hears. We may, with propriety, inscribe mystery on every 
object, event, and mental operation. " The glorious prospect, 
opened by this doctrine, is not less animating, because it sur- 
passes our comprehension ; on the contrary, its profundity 
only seems to increase our astonishment, and enhance our 
gratitude." 

THE FINAL JUDGMENT. 

The word of God explicitly reveals a general judgment, 
sometimes termed a day, by which is meant a fixed definite 
time. Language like the following, is employed to set forth 
this great event. " Because he hath appointed a day, in the 
which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man 
whom he hath ordained ; whereof he hath given assurance 
unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead." 
Acts 17 : 31. " For we shall all stand before the judgment 
seat of Christ." Rom. 14:10. "As it is appointed unto 
men once to die, but after this the judgment." Heb. 9 : 27. 
" But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same 



THE FINAL JUDGMENT. 491 

word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of 
judgment and perdition of ungodly men." 2 Pet. 3 : 7. 
" And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left 
their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains 
under darkness unto the judgment of the great day." Jude 6. 
" And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God ; and 
the books were opened ; and another book was opened, which 
is the book of life ; and the dead were judged out of those 
things which were written in the books, according to their 
works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it ; and 
death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them ; 
and they were judged every man according to their works." 
Rev. 20 : 12, 13. 

The truth taught so clearly in the passages above cited is 
presented indirectly in other texts. " For God shall bring 
every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether 
it be good or whether it be evil." Eccl. 12 : 14. To the 
young man who will not heed warning, inspiration addresses 
this solemn admonition, " Know thou that for all these things 
God will bring thee into judgment." " When the Son of man 
sail come in his glory and all the holy angels with him, then 
shall he sit upon the throne of his glory ; and before him shall 
be gathered all nations." Matt. 25: 31, 32. "The Lord 
Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in 
flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God and 
that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be 
punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the 
Lord and from the glory of hio power ; when he shall come 
to be glorified in his saints and to be admired in all them that 
believe." 2 Thess. 1 : 7-10. "I charge thee therefore, before 
God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and 
the dead at his appearing and his kingdom." 2 Tim. 4 : 1. All 
parts of the Scriptures rest on the assumption that mankind 
are to give an account unto God ; that there is to be a final 



492 zion's pathavat. 






reckoning with them, when their state for eternity will be 
openly proclaimed. 

The Design of the Judgment. 

It is not to make known unto Jehovah the characters of his 
accountable creatures, who in successive generations appear 
on the earth, and act for a while, and then are seen here no 
more. " The Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all 
the imaginations of the thoughts." " And by him actions are 
weighed." " His eyes behold, his eyelids try the children of 
men." " His understanding is infinite." Nor will the eternal 
destiny of the dead be undecided till the day of final judgment. 
Every one on leaving time, goes, as did the betrayer of Christ, 
to his own place. When the dust returns to the earth as it was, 
the spirit goes back to God who gave it, and its condition is 
determined for endless ages. " The general judgment will be 
a confirmation, and a consummation of each particular judg- 
ment." Though God need not this great event to aid him in 
the administering of justice, and though the everlasting state 
of the departed be unalterably settled, before that scene shall 
arrive ; yet it is necessary that the Governor of the universe 
should exhibit to his intelligent accountable creatures the man- 
ner of his administration. His ways are often mysterious. 
Faith doubts not, that the Judge of all the earth does right ; 
still it is not always able to grasp the reason, nor to under- 
stand the wherefore. " Clouds and darkness are round about 
him." On that august occasion, which we are contemplating, 
it shall be seen that the Almighty has ever been guided by 
unerring wisdom, and infinite benevolence. " All thy works 
shall praise thee, O Lord ; and thy saints shall bless thee ; " 
" and all iniquity shall stop her mouth." The Most High will 
make it apparent, that his entire procedure was holy, just, and 
good. The witnessing universe shall reverberate, when the 



THE FINAL JUDGMENT. 493 

last act of the judgment is past, with the exclamations, "True 
and righteous are thy judgments ; " " Alleluia, for the Lord 
God omnipotent reigneth." 



The Doctrine highly practical. 

All the transactions of time are in near connection with 
eternity. The last judgment will be an event to which every 
other relates. It is a day for which all others were made. 
Christ and his apostles frequently turned the attention of their 
auditors to the retributions of this occasion. To Capernaum 
Jesus said, " It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in 
the day of judgment than for thee." Matt. 11 : 24. We hear 
him affirming "that every idle word that men shall speak, they 
shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." Matt. 12 : 
36. The graphic description in the closing part of Matt. 25th 
chapter, is from the Saviour, and paints the proceedings of the 
last day. I know there are those who would bury all the 
threatenings and terrors of the gospel beneath the rubbish of 
ancient Jerusalem ; but they might as wisely attempt to con- 
ceal them any where else. When the Redeemer was depart- 
ing to heaven, two messengers were sent down, who thus 
addressed the disciples, while the latter were looking intently 
upon their ascending Master : " This same Jesus, which is 
taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner 
as ye have seen him go into heaven." Standing on Mars' hill, 
surrounded by orators, poets, and philosophers, Paul preached 
repentance, and urged, as a motive to its exercise, the judgment 
to come ; and when arraigned before Felix, he directed that 
wicked governor's attention to the same terrible event. While 
expostulating with the Roman believers for certain improprie- 
ties of conduct among them, he reminds them of " the judg- 
ment seat of Christ." Assigning to the Corinthians reasons 
for his own course, he admonishes them, that himself and all 
42 



494 zion's pathway. 

mankind must appear before the tribunal of the final Judge. 
The believers at Thessalonica are pointed to the scenes of the 
last day, that they may be helped to endure patiently their 
present sufferings. Saints every where are exhorted by Peter 
to keep their eye on " the coming of the day of God, wherein 
the heavens being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements 
shall melt with fervent heat." Jude tells us, that the fallen 
angels are to be judged at the great day ; and he refers us to 
a prophecy of Enoch, " the seventh from Adam : " " Behold 
the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute 
judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among 
them of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly 
committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners 
have spoken against him." John was instructed to exhibit, in 
glowing pictures, some parts of the judgment scenes, that be- 
holders of his impressive views might hasten their flight from 
the wrath to come, and shelter themselves in the secret place 
of the Most High. 

It is not more certain in regard to any individuals, that they 
now live and will ere long die, than it is, that they will be 
judged. What is true of some in this respect, is equally so of 
all mankind. Every one must give an account of himself to 
God, and in doing it he will be required to answer for the use 
made of time. Each day, with its hours and moments, should 
be spent in honoring the Lord. He calls human beings into 
existence, and allots to them the period of their sojourn on 
earth. Whether their continuance be longer or shorter, life 
should be devoted to his glory. Permission to make other use 
of it, he never permits, unless it be in the way all sin is tole- 
rated. 

Opportunities for doing good, improved or slighted, will be 
laid open by the Judge. Mankind were not formed to pass a 
life of listlessness ; their sole business is not dreaming ; it is 
not left optional with them, whether to act wisely and efficiently 



THE FINAL JUDGMENT. 495 

or not. God Almighty commands them to do right always, 
and to act with energy. " Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, 
do it with thy might ; for there is no work, nor device, nor 
knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave whither thou goest." 
Every man should strive to leave the world better than lie 
found it. 

An account must be given of the doctrines held. The Scrip- 
tures present us with truth, pure, essential and infallible. 
Jehovah is their author, and he requires a universal reception 
of his revelation. " If any man shall add unto these things, 
God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this 
book ; and if any man shall take away from the words of the 
book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the 
book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the thinga 
which are written in this book." Bible truth cannot be re- 
jected with impunity ; it must be embraced, or fearful guilt be 
incurred. Persons are responsible for their religious senti- 
ments. It is of consequence what one believes, for error is 
damning. To plead that we were under a deception will not 
avail, because God never deceives us, and we ought not to 
permit ourselves to be imposed upon by a fellow-creature. 
The Judge has himself given us two timely admonitions : 
" Take heed what ye hear." " Take heed, therefore, how ye 
hear." It will not be affirmed at the judgment that the 
Scriptures are too obscure to be understood. What in them 
is essential to salvation, has no ambiguity ; even the ignorant 
may understand it. Men are now wont to plead sincerity as 
an excuse for errors in religion, but they will be speechless on 
this point, when at the bar of God. Rational beings ought to 
be ashamed to embrace falsehood, when truth is so clear as we 
find it in the Bible. May we doubt there is a hell, when in- 
spiration declares, in the plainest words, its existence, and 
when every expression of divine indignation proclaims it ? 
Why does conscience now sting the guilty, if not to warn them 



496 zion's pathwat. 

of the worm that never dies, and of the fire unquenchable ? 
To what part of the universe may the impenitent sinner be 
sent, if there be no world of woe ? Heaven cannot admit an 
unsubdued rebel ! " Ye devouring fires, which the justice 
of God has kindled in hell, I have no need of the light of your 
flames to discover to me the miseries of a reprobate soul." 
As eternal life has already begun in the regenerate heart, so 
have the pains of perdition in the unrenewed. For every 
article in his religious creed, each one must render an account. 
He shall exhibit to the millions assembled at the grand assize, 
what were his views of the new-birth, of the divinity of Christ, 
and of all the doctrines contained in the Scriptures. " For 
there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither 
hid, that shall not be known." 

External acts, too, will be tested on that amazing occasion. 
" Every man's work shall be made manifest, for the day shall 
declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire 
shall try every man's work, of what sort it is." What accords 
with the eternal principles of right, will sustain the closest 
scrutiny of the Judge ; and naught of wrong shall escape his 
reprobation. It may be quite fashionable on earth to lie and 
cheat, to rob and murder ; yet these acts unrepented of, the 
Judge will punish with merited damnation. The inquiry at 
the bar of retribution, will not be what were the characters of 
men, in time, as estimated by human standards ; but how did 
they compare with divine requirements ? Moreover, an ac- 
count must also be rendered of the kind and degree of influ- 
ence exerted by each. Many now indignantly demand, "Am I 
my brother's keeper ? " Then every one shall be made sen- 
sible, that, in an important sense, he was responsible for the 
conduct of others near him. 

Without specifying farther particulars, it is in place to 
observe, that the principle of holding each one responsible for 
himself to the Judge, must commend itself to the reflecting. 



THE FINAL JUDGMENT. 497 

Why should another be arraigned for my sins ? Or where- 
fore should I share the honor of his good works ? Personal 
acts are not transferable. If works of supererogation are 
ever performed, whom can they benefit except him by whom 
they are performed ? Ah ! having done all one can, and 
enjoying the entire value of his good deeds, he will find noth- 
ing on which to rest, but the merits of Christ. 

It is obvious that the daily feelings, thoughts, words and 
transactions of every man, are intimately connected with the 
general judgment. He, that shall decide our eternal destiny, 
will omit no portion of our probation, when preparing his 
final verdict. The Lord "will bring to light the hidden 
things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the 
hearts." Possibly every mental emotion and act are im- 
pressed on the texture of the soul. Perhaps all our doings 
are stereotyped in our very constitutions, and will become 
visible in eternity. Sin, however, is removed from believers, 
by the blood of him in whom they believe. 

Preachers of the gospel do not err in urging their hearers 
to make personal preparation to meet the Judge. Knowing 
the terrors of the Lord, they should persuade men to have 
respect to the retributions of the last day. Though the actual 
occurrence of this event be in the distant future, it is in one 
sense near to all the living ; for when death removes them 
from time, they appear before God, and are unchangeably 
fixed in blessedness or woe. He, who is wise, will surely 
regulate himself as if expecting to give account to Omnis- 
cience. How worthless the good opinion of men, if it be pro- 
cured by the loss of God's favor. Ah ! mortals cannot help 
us in the day of judgment. Remembered earthly distinctions 
will do nothing toward elevating the soul to a place amid 
enduring pleasures. The titled in time may be the most 
damned among the lost. 
42* 



498 zion's pathway. 



A Caution. 



From the fact, frequently stated in the Scriptures, that man- 
kind are to be judged and rewarded according to their works, 
numbers, through mistake, look forward to the bar of God with 
composure. They are satisfied with their own deeds, and con- 
clude that the Judge will be likewise. It seems to be supposed 
that what appears good in the view of men, is so in the eye 
of Jehovah. But nothing will receive the divine sanction of 
well done, which was not performed from pure motives and 
for the glory of the Lord. The moral law will be the 
standard by which action shall be weighed in the day of final 
accounts. Works, like trees, have roots, and these are 
essential parts. " Whatsoever is not of faith is sin." Eter- 
nity will reveal the fact, that only believers in Jesus have 
done acceptable service. It will be in vain to expect an 
acceptance, by the Judge, of any act not sprinkled with aton- 
ing blood. To become savingly interested in the Lamb, slain 
from the foundation of the world, is the first work required of 
every one to whom the Saviour is made known. A refusal 
to comply with this command, leaves one unqualified to dis- 
charge any other duty, as God directs. Unbelievers, there- 
fore, when judged by their works, will be found wanting, and, 
accordingly, they must be condemned. 

Disappointment at the Last Day. 

Many a worldling now fancies, that he is doing the Lord 
service by his supreme devotion to the affairs of time ; but the 
judgment will discover to him, that the amassing of wealth for 
unholy aims, was not the same as seeking first the kingdom of 
God and his righteousness. Perhaps some misers think that 
the hoarding of money is honoring the Most High. A class 
of persons are expecting acquittal by the Judge because they 






THE FINAL JUDGMENT. 499 

exhibit a fair exterior among men. These forget that unbe- 
lievers^ not less than " the abominable, and murderers, and 
whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolators, and all liars, shall 
have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brim- 
stone, which is the second death." 

" Vain hope, in patch-work of terrestrial grain, 
To be received into the courts above ! " 

Hypocrites will stand at the judgment divested of their 
assumed sanctity. They may have deceived men ; the Judge 
they cannot deceive. From his piercing search they will not 
escape, nor will they fail to be driven by him into outer dark- 
ness, where shall be " weeping and gnashing of teeth." All 
receivers of false doctrines, who now resolve and re-resolve 
to be saved by the damnable heresies held by them, will learn, 
though too late, their mistake. Their errors, along with them- 
selves, shall be* fuel for fire everlasting. Never, in the ages 
of eternity, will errorists doubt that it was, in time, of special 
consequence to be theoretically correct on points of religious 
belief. The selfish, who seem to suppose that earth and 
heaven were made for their sakes, must then perceive that 
hell is the only receptacle into which they can be consistently 
admitted, and to that place of endless suffering they must be 
banished. Millions of impenitent sinners, displaying every 
variety of character, are anticipating an entrance into the 
celestial city, not one of whom will walk its golden streets. 
" The way of the ungodly shall perish." 

Christ is Judge. 

" For the Father judge th no man ; but hath committed all 
judgment unto the Son." John 5 : 22. " Him God raised up 
the third day and showed him openly." "And he commanded 
us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which 



500 



2ION S PATHWAY, 



was ordained of God, to be the Judge of quick and dead." Acts 
10 : 40, 42. " God shall judge the secrets of men, by Jesus 
Christ." Rom. 2:16. " Behold, he cometh with clouds, and 
every eye shall see him." Rev. 1 : 7. He who on earth, was 
poor and despised, who was arraigned as a malefactor, and 
was sentenced to death by a sinful mortal, shall appear in the 
glory of his divinity, and summon to his bar the millions of 
the human family. 

Behold yon heavens ; they " shall vanish away like smoke." 
See the fair earth ; it " shall wax old like a garment." Ages 
are hastening onward to that grand consummation, when Jeho- 
vah-Jesus shall reappear. Millions of thoughtless beings will 
be amazed at the signals of his approach, and seek, in vain, 
for shelter from his overwhelming majesty. * The elements 
shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also, and the works that 
are therein, shall be burned up." Mankind shall be judged. 
All ye who believe the Scriptures, " be diligent, that ye may 
he found of him in peace, without spot and blameless." Let 
atheists and infidels know that their rejection of the Bible will 
not destroy the truth. The righteous and the wicked having 
been judged, shall be forever separated ; the latter going away 
into everlasting punishment ; the former into life eternal. 
Prepare us, O God, for thy great and terrible day of judg- 
ment ! 



*" 



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